Citizen Pet & Equine Fall 2015

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Tips on taking

better pet pics

Finding a great pair of breeches

Addressingchange throughenergy work

Train your dog

to comewhen called

Choosing adog-friendlyvehicle

An introduction to‘Relationship Riding’

6 walkable, pet-friendly communities

How to pet proof your home

www.citizenpet.com celebrating life with our animal companions

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Road Trip with Fido?If your dog is your favourite travelling buddy, keeping him or her safe should be as important as choosing your next adventure together.

Simple accessories like mesh barriers, harnesses, and crates, which can be purchased to help secure your pet while on the road, will help ensure that you both arrive at all your destinations safely. It is especially important to secure your travel buddy if your vehicle has front airbags because, like small children, they can be seriously hurt if the airbag deploys.

At Pet Planet you will find affordable options that will make your next adventure safe for everyone. Visit your local Pet Planet today www.petplanethealth.com/store-locator/

TicketsSale

on

24Halloween extravaganza

the Enjoy Centre5:30-11:30 pm

www.actssalberta.ca

An evening helping pets living with cancer

2015

OCTOBER

24Adult $75 Youth $25 Pets $25

The Animal Cancer Therapy Subsidization Society (ACTSS)is a not-for-profit society dedicated to bringing affordable modern veterinary cancer treatment to veterinary cancer patients. Through our programs we provide subsidies to pet owners as well as educate animal owners and veterinarians on the availability, uses and benefits of advanced cancer therapies in the treatment of veterinary cancers.

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Cover photo: www.dollarphotoclub.com

Copies of Citizen Pet & Equine are available in Alberta and other parts of Canada at your specialty pet supply retailer, select veterinary clinics, rescue organizations and shelters. Citizen Pet & Equine is also available at Calgary Public Library and Edmonton Public Library locations and other magazine stands throughout Alberta. Citizen Pet & Equine is also in-serted into select community and specialty newspapers.

FALL

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Tips on taking

better pet pics

Finding a great pair of breeches

Addressingchange throughenergy work

Train your dog

to comewhen called

Choosing adog-friendlyvehicle

An introduction to‘Relationship Riding’

6 walkable, pet-friendly communities

How to pet proof your home

www.citizenpet.com

6 Keep your pets safe: pet proof your home

8 6 walkable, pet-friendly communities in Calgary

10 Kali’s Wish Cancer Foundation special section

16 Addressing change through energy work

17 Choosing a dog-friendly vehicle

18 Tips for taking better pet pics

20 How to find a great pair of breeches

21 An introduction to Relationship Riding

22 Train your dog to come when called

contents

10 years publishing! Incorporate 2005-2015 10 years publishing! 2005-2015

celebrating life with our animal companions

10 years publishing! Incorporate 2005-2015 10 years publishing! 2005-2015


www.citizenpet.com facebook.com/citizenpetmagazine

Publisher/EditorSherry Warner

ContributorsJared Chamberlain

April ClaySusan CrawfordBarbra Ann KingLiz Nishimura

Beth O’ConnorRebecca Stares

Chewed Slippers PhotographyEvocative Photography

Expertise.comThe Fun Times Guide

The Horse StoreWCVM Companion Animal Health Fund

Design/LayoutKendra Design Inc • www.kendradesign.ca

Advertising InquiriesSherry Warner

T: (403) 249-2233E: [email protected]

Subscriptions$12.95 (+GST) per year - four issues

Call Sherry Warner (403) 249-2233 to subscribe

Citizen Pet & Equine is published quarterly by Fresh PAINT Communications Inc.(403) 249-2233, [email protected]

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Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without permission of the

publisher. The views and opinions in articles andadvertisements in this publication are not

necessarily those of the publisher.

This magazine is a proud member of the AlbertaMagazine Publishers Association, abiding by the

standards of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors.Visit www.albertamagazines.com

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Over the last several months, I’ve been madly writing copy for the new Kali’s Wish Cancer Foundation website. It’s been a wonderful learning experience and we have lots of great information to share with pet guardians about cancer prevention, common types of pet cancer along with conventional cancer treatments and complementary therapies. Please visit www.kaliswish.org to find out more.

Unfortunately, during this process I found out the truth behind Aristotle’s famous quote: “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.” Even though the veterinary community has made great strides in diagnosing and treating pet cancer, the direct cause of most pet cancers is still unknown.

That means there is still a lot of work to do if we are to help prevent our pets from getting this deadly disease — which, according to the Veterinary Cancer Society, affects half of all dogs over the age of 10.

Starting with this issue of Citizen Pet & Equine, we will be including a special section for Kali’s Wish Cancer Foundation. In it we will bring you more information about pet cancer, its prevention and treatment.

In this issue, the Kali’s Wish section includes a story about the link between obesity and chronic diseases such as pet cancer as well as an interesting look at the sharp contrast between the human and animal health care systems in Dr. Sarah Boston’s book Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life.

Also in this special section is a moving tribute to April Clay’s Airedale Terrier, Lucy, who passed away from cancer several months ago. April is our equine sport psychology writer. We also meet several four-legged friends who dropped by our booth at Pet-a-palooza this summer and the Norwegian Elkhound, Anka, and the non-profit set up in her memory: Anka’s Best Friend Fund, which supports research efforts into the prevention, early detection and treatment of Transitional Cell Carcinoma.

Enjoy!

editor’s note

Sherry

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Living with pets is like living with small children. So, to help keep them safe and sound, you’re go-ing to have to pet proof your home. And because every pet is

different — some may get into everything and think all shoes and socks are chew toys while others are couch potatoes — your approach to pet proofing your home should be tailored to the needs of your pet. Below are some typical room-by-room safety hazards to consider be-fore pet proofing and how to deal with them:

KITCHEN SAFETYThe kitchen is probably the most dangerous

room in your house for both you and your pets. You may know what items to avoid, but ani-mals don’t see the same risks as you do in a hot stove, sharp knife or indigestible trash items.

The most effective way to make your kitch-en safer for your pets is to make it inacces-sible to them. For some pets, you can install a gate to make it impossible for them to enter the room without you letting them in. But this solution will probably not work if you have an agile pet prone to making tall leaps. In that case, you need to attend to each of the risky areas separately.

The garbageProblem: This is probably the biggest risk area since kitchen garbage cans often hold tasty treats for hungry animals.

Solution: You can buy special garbage cans with lids that lock to keep your pets out. Or you can keep your garbage cans stored behind a pantry or cabinet door (although you have to be vigilant about keeping the door closed).

CabinetsProblem: Kitchen cabinets contain any number of items that can cause problems for pets — toxic cleaning supplies, dishes made of breakable glass and sharp utensils, to name a few. Most animals aren’t able to open cabinet doors, but if you have a smart or savvy pet, you should be concerned.

Solution: Even the smartest pet should be foiled by installing simple child locks on your cabinet doors. You don’t have to worry much about the individual items in the gar-bage or cabinets as long as they’re stored in ways that make it impossible for your pets to access them.

BEDROOM AND LIVING ROOM SAFETY

Good news! For the most part, bedrooms and living rooms are pretty safe. Since these tend to be the rooms where pet parents spend the most time with their pets, there are a few safety hazards that could cause problems.

Electrical cordsProblem: Dogs with chewing tendencies can cause a lot of frustration in what they ruin, but when it comes to electrical cords, the biggest risk isn’t to the cords themselves. You don’t want your pet to experience a jolt of electricity.

Solution: Wherever possible, keep electri-cal cords off the ground so they’re out of reach. If that’s not an option, you can try to block them with furniture, tape them to the walls so they’re less tantalizing to your dog, or try a product designed to discourage chewing like a cord cover or chew deterrent spray.

Choking hazardsProblem: Many small, everyday items you have around the house can become a chok-ing risk for your pets. Jewellery, pens, bat-teries and paper clips — things you wouldn’t normally think unsafe — may cause serious injury if your pet thinks it could be fun to chew on.

Solution: Do a review of everything in your living room and bedroom that could be a risk and store it somewhere out of reach — either too high up on a shelf for your pet to access, in a closet or cabinet or in a box with a sealed lid that your pet can’t open.

Tall furnitureProblem: Small pets may have a hard time jumping on and off of tall pieces of furniture, especially once they start getting on in age. You don’t want your pets to hurt themselves just trying to get up on the couch to hang out with you.

Solution: Buy or build some steps or a ramp to make getting up to their favourite spot easier on them.

GARAGE SAFETYSome pets have little reason to ever spend

time in the garage while others might stay there on a regular basis, for instance, during the night or when you’re not home. If your

Keep your pets safe:pet proof your home

CITIZEN PET & EquIN

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animals will be spending any time in the ga-rage, you need to make it pet proof.

ToolsProblem: Your tools can be a choking hazard and the sharper ones can cause cuts or other injuries.

Solution: Make sure you put them up out of reach. Depending on the layout of your ga-rage, that could mean putting them in cabi-nets, in your workroom, or simply putting a lock on your toolbox so they can’t get into it. If you don’t have a good out-of-reach spot in your garage for your tools and don’t want to keep them in the house, it may be worth in-vesting in some cabinets or a sealed off stor-age space.

Garage temperatureProblem: Although the inside of your home is kept at a comfortable temperature, most of us don’t think about the temperature in the garage. That’s all well and good, unless your animals are kept there for any length of time.

Solution: Unless you have a temperature controlled garage, the temperature inside will fluctuate with the weather. If it’s especially hot or cold outside, make sure there’s a fan, air conditioner or space heater (kept out of reach of your pets) in the garage to make it comfort-able for them. If the forecast warns of extreme weather any time of year, find a place for your pets inside your home rather then risk seri-ous injury to your pet such as heatstroke or frost bite.

Antifreeze and other chemicalsProblem: Many of the chemicals and clean-ing supplies used in our homes, cars and on our lawns get stored in the garage and all should be kept well out of reach of our animal friends. Antifreeze in particular can be deadly to pets.

Solution: Wherever you figured out to put your tools to keep them out of reach, do the same for any chemicals and cleaning sup-plies. Make sure they’re behind a closed door, under lock and key or behind some kind of barrier that will keep your pets from getting into them.

BATHROOMS, CLOSETS AND LAUNDRY ROOM SAFETY

All these smaller rooms should either be treated as off limits to animals, or pet proofed along with the rest of your house. In partic-ular, if you use one of these rooms to keep your animal in when you leave the house, or if you have a pet that treats one as a comfort-

able safe space, you need to make sure noth-ing’s accessible that could cause harm.

Medicines and chemicalsProblem: Items like cleaning supplies and prescription medication must be kept in a safe place. You have to be careful not to leave them out where your pet can reach them.

Solution: Keep them behind closed cabinets or high up where they’ll be out of reach. If you have a pet with a skill for opening cabi-nets, use some of those child locks we recom-mended for the kitchen.

AppliancesProblem: If you have a cat that likes to curl up in small spaces, your washer and dryer could become a deadly trap.

Solution: Make sure you always make a point to check the washer and dryer before you start it to confirm that your pet isn’t in-side. And keep the doors to it closed in be-tween use.

Toilet waterProblem: Toilet water is not the safest water for your pet to drink. You use chemicals to clean your toilet that you don’t want them in-gesting. Also, it’s flat-out unsanitary.

Solution: First, make sure your pets always have clean water in their bowl so they’re not tempted. Next, keep the toilet lid down. If you find that’s not enough to keep your pets away (or you keep forgetting to close the lid), then you may consider buying a gadget such as “Drink No More” that sounds an alarm to let you know when your pet is heading to-ward the toilet bowl.

YARD SAFETYIf you have a yard, your pet will likely

spend a significant amount of time in it. Most yards are harmless, but for pets who are escape artists or your yard has plants that are potentially harmful to pets then you need to be careful.

EscapeProblem: A missing pet can be a terrifying experience. Beyond your own yard there are fast moving vehicles, other threatening animals and untrustworthy humans who might be tempted to steal your beloved fur-ry family member.

Solution: A good fence is paramount if you let your dog out in the yard. Even if you think your fence is escape proof, you should make a point of regularly check-ing for spots in the yard your pet could fit through especially after windy days or big rainstorms, which could affect the integ-rity of the fence.

If you have a dog that’s a digger, try put-ting cayenne pepper along the edge of your fence, or burying an anti-dig yard guard product so they can’t get through even if they try. If your pet is a magician with spe-cial escape skills no matter what you try, technology can come to the rescue. Get a pet GPS tracker so you can pull up your pet’s location through an app the moment they disappear.

—Source: Expertise—connecting consumers with experts and empowering small businesses to thrive. Visit www.expertise.com for more info.

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Walk SCore

Calgary is a dog-friendly city that boasts around 150 off-leash areas in its parks. That means it has the most off-leash land of any major city in North America. It also has an average Walk Score of 48 (see sidebar below). While that makes it the 10th most walkable large city

in Canada, its citizens still depend on vehicles to perform most of their errands.

Some Calgary neighbourhoods are more walkable than others. Here are six neighbourhoods located throughout the city that offer beautiful parks and pathways as well as great off-leash areas for our four-legged friends. The communities are listed based on their Walk Score.

Crescent HeightsCrescent Heights is a neighbourhood in northeast Calgary. The

nearest off-leash area is Rotary Park, which also has a playground, picnic areas and tennis courts so it’s perfect for the whole fami-ly. McHugh Bluff is another park with an off-leash area. Crescent Heights has a Walk Score of 79, making it very walkable. Most er-rands can be accomplished on foot as it is near the downtown core.

Crescent Heights has over 200 different amenities including restau-rants, pubs and coffee shops, many just a short walk away.

Bridgeland-RiversideBridgeland-Riverside is a neighbourhood in the northeast quad-

rant, near St. George’s Island, St. Patrick’s Island, and the Calgary Zoo. The closest off-leash area is Tom Campbell’s Hill, which was once part of the zoo. Bridgeland-Riverside has a Walk Score of 68, and with more than 80 choices for bars, coffee shops and restaurants you’re sure to find something that’s a fit for whatever you’re craving. Public transportation is also readily available with one light-rail line and three bus lines passing through it.

Walk Score, a private company based in Seattle, Washington, created a large-scale, public access walkability index that assigns a numeri-cal walkability score to any address in Canada, the U.S. and Australia. Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100 that measures the walkability of any address. Canada’s most walkable cities include Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

Walk Score 90–100 Walker’s Paradise Daily errands do not require a car 70–89 Very Walkable Most errands can be accomplished on foot 50–69 Somewhat Walkable Some errands can be accomplished on foot 25–49 Car-Dependent Most errands require a car 0–24 Car-Dependent Almost all errands require a car

According to Walk Score, there are many health, environmental and financial benefits to living in walkable neighbourhoods:

• The average person living in a walkable neighbourhood weighs six to 10 pounds less than those living in a sprawling community. • Walkable neighbourhoods with good public transit and access to amenities promote happiness. Short commutes help to reduce stress and help increase community involvement.• Walking creates zero green-house gas emissions, in sharp contrast to vehicles.• Vehicles are usually the second largest household expense, so walkable communities save you money. Also, most dogs would rather go for a walk than for a ride in the car.

walkable, pet-friendly communities in Calgary

By Jared Chamberlain

6

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ThorncliffeThorncliffe is located in northwest Calgary and is known for its large

activity centre. It is also near Nose Hill Park, the largest natural area and dog park in Calgary. Nose Hill Park also has lots of hiking trails. Thorncliffe has a Walk Score of 60 which makes it somewhat walk-able. You’ll find over 50 different coffee shops, bars and restaurants in Thorncliffe and a lot of them are within a reasonable walking distance.

BownessBowness is also in the northwest and is near at least two parks with

off-leash areas: Bowmont Park and Edworthy Park. Bowmont Park sits on a plateau above the Bow River Valley, which provides wonderful views of the Rocky Mountains and the city. It also has picnic tables, playgrounds and hiking trails. Edworthy Park has picnic areas and playgrounds as well as a dog park. Bowness has a Walk Score of 57 and is home to a variety of bars, coffee shops and restaurants (29 if you’re counting).

Elbow ParkElbow Park is located in the southwest and is one of the oldest com-

munities in the city, dating back to the early 1900s. It is bordered on the south and east by the Elbow River. The community is near River Park and Sandy Beach Park, which run along the Elbow River. Both have off-leash areas. Elbow Park has a Walk Score of 57, which makes it somewhat walkable. Not to worry though, as the beautiful surround-ings more than make up for the lower Walk Score.

OgdenOgden is located in southeast Calgary near Sue Higgins Park, an

off-leash area with hundreds of acres along the Bow River where your dog can run or swim. Ogden is also near Carburn Park, a natural area with three manmade ponds and hiking trails. Dogs are allowed, but they have to be on leash. Ogden has a Walk Score of 53. It also has good access to public transportation. If you’re looking for a great place to take the dogs for a walk or grab a drink with a friends or dinner with the family, Ogden is home to 35 different bars, coffee shops and restaurants.

—Source: The Chamberlain Group, real estate experts. Visit www.thechamberlaingroup.ca for more info.

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Sadie: Pomeranian. She had the best seat in the house!

Soleil: 10-year-old Yorkshire Terrier — glad to be in Daddy’s arms.

Milo: an English Bulldog was pooped out, he wasn’t about to take one more step.

Maggie: Havanese/Poodle cross — so soft and sweet.

lego: 10-week-old Boston Terrier puppy — too tired to walk.

Bear: Chocolate labrador tripod and therapy dog. Bear lost his front right leg to cancer.

The Pet-a-palooza festival in downtown Calgary this summer was a hit! The weather was great (just a brief little storm late in the afternoon) and thousands (about 10,000 I’m told) turned out with their dogs to stroll down Barclay Parade in Eau Claire and take in the over 75 exhibitors of pet-related products and ser-

vices as well as numerous pet charities and rescue organizations.Citizen Pet & Equine and Kali’s Wish Cancer Foundation shared a booth.

We had the opportunity to talk to many people about Kali’s Wish Cancer Foundation and help raise awareness about the best ways to prevent pet cancer. Many pet guardians shared their personal experiences about dealing with a beloved pet who has or had cancer.

The show was a lot of fun and it was great seeing so many different people and their pets. It was obvious how much these dogs of all different shapes, sizes and temperaments are loved and cared for by their guardians. Here are just a few of the dogs who stopped by our booth to say hi:

Walkin’ the ‘Parade’ at Pet-a-palooza

Theodore: Bichon/Havanese cross — perks right up when you say the word treat!

Obesity is not just a problem for people, our pets are pack-ing on the pounds too. Re-cent numbers from Statistics Canada reveal that 36 per

cent of Canadians are classified as obese, and the percentage is almost identical for Canadian pets. Stats from the Canadian Vet-erinary Medical Association show that 35 per cent of our pets are obese.

And the statistics are worse south of the border. A 2012 survey conducted by the As-sociation for Pet Obesity Prevention found that 52.5 per cent of dogs and 58.3 per cent of cats are said to be overweight or obese by their veterinarian. That’s 80 million dogs and cats in the U.S. that are at risk of developing any number of weight-related problems.

The health risks to obese pets include dia-betes or insulin resistance, joint problems, osteoarthritis, respiratory disorders, high blood pressure and heart disease, kidney and liver problems and many forms of can-cer. Obesity can also shorten our pets’ lives.

Overfeeding is cited as the major cause of the obesity epidemic. And, according to Canada’s Pet Wellness Report, veterinarians say that overfeeding is the most common mistake pet guardians make in feeding their dogs and cats.

If you are faced with an overweight pet, first rule out any medical reasons for the weight gain. If your pet is overweight be-cause of overfeeding, portion control is the number one way to combat the problem.

When looking at feeding recommenda-tions on a bag of pet food, keep in mind that the recommendations are for the average pet. Lifestyle, activity level and age also af-fect how much food a pet should receive. If your pet is overweight, feed less than the rec-ommended amount and adjust from there.

Also, if you feed treats to your pet through-

out the day, you need to offset the treats they receive by reducing the portion of their daily recommended pet food. It’s also a good idea to actually measure out the pet food that you’re putting in your pet’s bowl. This will ensure they are getting the proper portion.

In addition to overfeeding your pet, obesity can also be attributed to a high-carbohydrate, high-calorie

diet. Choose a high-quality, nutrient dense pet food that is appropriate for your pet’s age and lifestyle.

Exercise is another great way to help re-duce weight and keep your pets slim and trim. Consistency is the key. Aim to go for a daily walk and give your pets more of an aer-

obic workout — playing fetch, swim-ming, running or more organized

sports such as agility — about three times a week.

Obesity and the link to

chronic disease

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Lucy May 26, 2006 — July 10, 2015

Dear Lucy:

It was pretty clear early on that just one name was not going to fit your oversized personality. I used to joke that I could write a song: “There must be 50 ways to name your Lucy.” And of course, your many special talents inspired some of my favourite knick names.

Ninja girl. The stealth-way you used to creep up on people and before they knew what happened, steal stuff (especially poop bags, empty or full). A great many park goers will probably be putting their poop bags in trees or holding them up high so you can’t get to them for years to come. I am not sure there is another dog that can say she trained an entire park population.

Anti-assistant. This special title relates to how you did not help me with the laundry (sock stealer) and took papers off the coffee table that I was working on (that I never noticed were missing until I glanced up and saw you standing there, tail wagging, paper in mouth). Then there was that time we were running together and I fell on the ice. You proceeded to snatch my sunglasses and take off. But that’s ok, I realize I didn’t sign up for a Lassie, I wanted an Airedale.

Which means I signed up for a lot of comedy. I will miss watching you spit your kibble on the floor and play “kibble hockey” before eating your food. Or watching you spin your cat around on the floor by his tail until he was so happy he had to get up and give you a nice rub.

And yes, you were a “Spookafer” (thunderstorms and spiders are scary who could blame you?). It’s true you heard the world on loud speakers, but it never stopped you from living loud. That capacity for joy, your fighting spirit (thank you for fighting so hard to give us that extra time together) combined with your sensitivity I found a real inspiration. It reminded me how complex we all are, and that should be celebrated. So thank you for being you. Thank you for nine years of wonderful friendship, love and your comedic spirit. You were truly an exceptional being. I hope there are lots of plastic bags on the other side. I smile thinking of you causing havoc there already.

Until we meet again my girl,Love, April

fond memories

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Dr. Sarah Boston takes a provocative look at cancer treatment from the human side and from the animal side in her book, Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life. What makes this book unique is the fact that Boston herself is a cancer survivor and a

veterinary surgical oncologist. Back in 2011, Boston discovered a worrisome lump in her neck,

only to hear from her doctor that the lump was “probably fine.” The Calgary native suspected otherwise, from its increasing size, and from the way it pushed against her neck. Upon hearing it would take two weeks for an ultrasound, she had her husband (also a veterinar-ian) bring home a portable ultrasound machine so that she could view the lump herself. To Boston’s educated eye, it looked like a carcinoma, so she pushed to have it surgically removed almost three months later.

Boston takes her readers on a thought-provoking journey through the human health care system. She weaves funny, yet poignant stories of dogs she has operated on, and draws parallels between her own care and the care she provides animal patients. Boston’s hope for speedy treatment is unimportant — she has to wait her turn. Canine thyroid cancer patients, on the other hand, can have their diagnostic tests completed in 24 hours and be operated on the next day. Their human thyroid cancer counterparts often wait weeks or months, with mounting anxiety.

Boston tells about her patient Sasha, the miniature poodle with a bone tumour. Like Sasha’s surgery, Boston’s is successful, but unlike Sasha (who got top care and went home the day after her operation), Boston has vastly different experiences in the two hospitals where she has each operation. Her doctors give her the anti-nausea drug and specific pain medication she requests for her first operation, but for her second operation (at another hospital), she receives cheaper medications instead, with harsher side effects. Despite being a health professional, Boston was often treated as hysterical, and was often dismissed. She mentions meeting other patients, fighting just as hard to be heard and treated. As a cancer survivor myself, I can attest to the challenges patients face. The picture she paints of Cana-dian healthcare is not flattering.

Perhaps her negative experiences are more related to incompe-tence, but readers gradually see that the major difference underly-ing the animals’ care and the speed/quality of the treatment Boston receives is the private versus public nature of veterinary care versus human medical care. Sasha’s treatment involves a $2,500 MRI and

$4,200 worth of surgery/aftercare. Fortunately, her owners could afford it. Not everyone, human or canine, is so fortunate.

Lucky Dog provides its readers with a much-needed look at the way our socialized system works. You should eventually get the medical care you need, if you’re intelligent, know people, and have the advocacy skills to fight for yourself. The importance of taking personal responsibility for your own health and your pet’s health is central to Boston’s book.

If you want a thought-provoking, stimulating book, Lucky Dog fits the bill. Four paws up!!

By Susan Crawford, M.Sc.

A vet’s perspective on human and animal health care

Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life By Sarah Boston, DVM Paperback: 288 pagesPublisher: House of Anansi Press (2014)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1770893512 • ISBN-13: 978-1770893511Canada: $18.95 • U.S.: $14.95

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On February 3, 2012, our beau-tiful Norwegian Elkhound, Anka, succumbed to compli-cations from bladder cancer (transitional cell carcinoma or

TCC) a few weeks shy of her 15th birthday.Anka bravely fought her cancer for over two

years. She never lost her smile through the op-erations, tests and treatments. And she never lost her unique ability to make every adult and child she met feel special.

Anka — or “Ankee” — loved people, espe-cially children. She believed that her mission in life was to bring a little bit of happiness into the lives of everyone she happened to meet during the day. She accomplished this by star-ing and smiling at any passersby until they fi-nally returned her smile. If they had the good sense to come over and pet her, then Anka would doubly reward them with a vigorous tail wag.

Over the years we never ceased to be amazed by Anka’s powers to cheer up the biggest grumps. She could pick them out in a crowd hundreds of feet away, and somehow, she could compel them to turn toward her and make eye contact.

We always watched in amazement as these people were slowly lifted out of their worri-some thoughts and tuned into Anka’s stare. Their look of surprise would give way to a smile, sometimes only for a brief moment as they continued to walk by. But more often than not, they would break into laughter. An-kee knew then that she had helped to brighten that person’s day and that they would remem-ber their encounter.

We never realized until after Anka’s passing how special she had made us feel in public. Every day we see so many sad people going about their lives, and we feel sad that Ankee is not with us to bring a momentary ray of sun-shine into their lives. One never knows how a brief smile from Anka may have changed a person’s day or perhaps their entire life.

Anka remained strong and vibrant for two years after her initial diagnosis with TCC. She never lost her love for life or for food. Many were the nights when she would sit atop “her” 100-acre farm and howl for hours with the dis-tant coyotes across the valleys.

Anka’s initial tumour was removed surgi-cally. Rather than start chemotherapy, we opted for an immune modulation, Cordyceps (fungus)-based product called “K9 Immunity.” Along with transfer factor, fish oil and a care-ful diet, there was no indication that the TCC ever metastasized over the subsequent two years.

But a year after the first surgery, the tu-mour reappeared in the same location and was removed surgically. Anka was then placed on piroxicam (non-steroidal anti-inflammato-ry drug), but that medication was stopped af-ter six months due to weakening of her renal function.

A few months later, the tumour reappeared in the same location but could not be surgi-cally removed due to her kidney issues. When her urethra became blocked, we drove Anka to New Jersey’s Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital where Dr. Dean Cerf successfully cleared the urethra using ultrasound guided endoscopic laser ablation.

We were most hopeful for Anka, but the

anesthesia proved too much for her compro-mised kidneys. We did get her home and now she sleeps peacefully on the farm she loved so much.

We have established Anka’s Best Friend Fund in her memory so that she may continue to help others afflicted with TCC. Through the support of research efforts into its prevention, early detection and treatment, we hope that Anka will continue to touch the hearts of all who come to know her through this fund.

Ankee taught us the real meaning of life. She found wonder and joy in the little things right in her own backyard. She taught us to slow down, live in each moment and appreci-ate everything around us. No need to travel to far off exotic places –- just take a walk with “The Ank!”

Anka was and continues to be our life-sup-port system. She was a true “Dog of Valour.” Thank you Ankee for being our best friend and for taking such good care of us.

We miss you so much. Love, Anka’s Mom and Dad.

—For more information about Anka’s Best Friend Fund, contact the WCVM Development Office ([email protected] or 306-966-7450). Reprinted with permission from the WCVM Com-panion Animal Health Fund (cahf.usask.ca).

Anka, you never lost your smile

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• Pet sitting (live-in service available) • Private dog walking• Pet massage/Reiki

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T: 403-807-3702E: [email protected]: www.dhpetcare.com

D.H. Petcare & Service

I can’t think of a change in my life where my pets haven’t been transition-ing with me, be it directly or indirectly. We’ve moved — including across the continent, twice — formed new rela-

tionships, ended relationships, welcomed new family members, lost beloved family mem-bers, travelled, navigated illness and injury — mine and theirs — and well, lived. Rarely is there a life that’s static! Change, both planned and unexpected is inevitable.

What I’ve learned through all of these ex-periences is that each animal has his own ca-pacity for change, and that my ability to help each pet through it, to ease the process and speed up the integration, is paramount. I’ve also learned that while I plan and prepare for things like moving to a new home or intro-ducing a new family member, these changes are likely going to take my animals by sur-prise. This means that I have to factor their well-being into my plans too. I never want to see my animals distressed and it’s important to me that the support provided is effective; I want to see immediate results!

Fortunately, there are many tools we can use to make these transitions more seam-less for our pets and help reduce any stress along the way. These may include the use of aromatherapy and essential oils, all forms of body work including T-Touch and massage, even acupuncture and acupressure.

My absolute favourite though is energy work — any therapy that manipulates the bio-energy of the animal with the intention of re-moving blockages and restoring harmony. En-ergy work helps to reduce stress and anxiety, minimize or eliminate the physical and be-havioural manifestations that can accompany change, facilitate relationship building, ease grief and loss and promote curiosity, which is a key component in creating new habits.

With energy work, it doesn’t matter if the transitions are planned or not. When I moved across the continent, with three cats as com-pany, I used energy work on all three of them so they were calm before the trip and so they would settle in the car (seriously, not a single meow the entire time). We had to make three different pit stops too, which were added stressors because it meant the cats were ex-posed to multiple new environments in rapid succession. But, thanks to the energy work, I had cats who snuggled and purred each night and who didn’t hide or resist when I pulled out the carrier to load them back up.

I used energy work on my cats when I

brought my new puppy home, to help them feel safe and secure and happy with a new addition in the house. I used energy work on the puppy to help her with the grief of losing her litter-mates and to feel at ease in her new environment. Energy work is a phenomenal tool for personal transitions too; births, deaths, change in mobility and ability, adjusting to ill-ness/injury, all of it. This last winter I had to put my cat down so I utilized energy work to help everyone with their grief and to help him as he transitioned to the other side. It eased his pain, minimized his discomfort and added to his quality of life in his final days.

Seeing instantaneous results with energy work is another reason why it’s one of my fa-vourite transitioning tools. Jack for instance, is the definition of a “fraidy cat.” He’s a rescue kitty and he does not like any interruption in his routine. He needs a lot of support for even the smallest change. What’s great about him is that I can see immediately that the energy work is effective because he settles right into sleep, and none of his typical stress behav-iours — licking, pacing, meowing, missing the litter box, destroying the furniture, etc. — which happened before I started using en-ergy work. Energy work keeps him in perfect health and balance throughout any of the changes life has demanded of him.

The absolute best part of energy work is that it is easy to learn and anyone can use it to support their pet(s) through any transi-tion. Energy work is an easy to employ tool, can be applied in any situation where we are asking our pets to adjust to changes and it works with all animals of all ages, all species and breeds.

—Rebecca Stares owns Spirited Connections Counselling, which offers energy healing servic-es for both animals and their people. She is also a clinical social worker specializing in animal assisted therapy and equine assisted therapy. Visit www.spiritedconnections.ca for more info.

Addressing change through energy workBy Rebecca Stares

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If you have pets, finding the right vehicle for your family requires a little more thought. How many dogs you have along with their size, age and temperament should be considered when deciding which vehicle to purchase. The following list of dog-friendly ve-

hicle features should help make that decision a little easier:

• A compact or full-size minivan, SUV or crossover are usually better choices than a car simply because they offer more room and more dog-friendly features.

• A vehicle with a low-to-the-ground profile will make it easier for dogs of all sizes and ages to get in or out of the vehicle.

• A rear hatch or barn doors that allow you to fully open up the back will make it easier for your dog to jump in and out. It also makes it way easier for you to load or unload the vehicle.

• Choosing a vehicle with a large, boxy cargo area rather than one with sloped walls, wheel wells or spare tires, will better accommodate your dog and supplies.

• Rear cargo attachment devices will help keep a harnessed dog or dog carriers/crates from sliding around in the cargo area.

• Some vehicles come with a pet barrier (cargo divider) or you can buy one after market. The barrier prevents your dog from jumping into the front seat, which can be unsafe.

• Seats that fold down or are removable make lots of room for your dog and keep your seats clean for your human passengers.

• A vehicle with non-carpeted walls and floors will keep dog fur from accumulating and make clean up easy.

• A removable cargo liner, either built in or purchased after market, can be hosed off, making clean up a breeze.

• In floor storage bins are a great way to keep your dogs away from anything you’re transporting, especially food.

• Rear air conditioning is a must to keep everyone comfortable on hot days.

• Childproof windows and door locks help prevent your dog from accidentally opening or closing the windows or doors.

• A sunroof will provide maximum ventilation without worrying about your dog falling out of the vehicle.

• Some other items to consider purchasing after market if they don’t come with the vehicle include waterproof seat covers and a fold out ramp to make it easy for your dog to get in and out of the vehicle.

—Source: The Fun Times Guide, a network of websites that cover a variety of niche topics. Visit www.thefuntimesguide.com for more info.

Tips for choosing a dog-friendly vehicle

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With the holiday season fast approaching, we asked photographers, Erica and James Fernandes from Evocative Photography in Calgary and Lore-na Smalley from Chewed Slippers Photography in Edmonton, to give us some tips on how to take great photos of our pets. Here is what they came up with:

Learn your camera. This sounds obvious but take the time to learn how to use your camera and any other equipment you wish to use. Knowing what buttons to press and when will go a long way to ensuring you “cap-ture the moment” and create the best image possible. Make eye contact. Some of the

best shots are those where your pet is look-ing straight into the camera. To make that happen, hold a treat or toy in your hand to get their attention, then move it into posi-tion right behind the camera lens. Feel free to squeak, shake or rattle away to get them to look at what you’re holding. (If you need two hands on the camera, get a friend to work the toy.)

Remove distractions. As you frame up your perfect shot, take a moment to look at the background. Ask yourself the question: “Does what I see in the background help or distract from the picture?” Then take a couple moments to re-move any distractions from the picture or change your angle so background clutter is reduced or eliminated.

Consider dog level.Want a different look? Try chang-ing up your position. Get down on the floor at dog level and see the world from their point of view. Let them come close to your cam-era as you snap shot after shot of them sniffing their way to model stardom!

Patience and more patienceTake your time, slow down the pace and have patience. Snap a couple shots off to make sure the picture will work as planned, then settle in and wait. Pets know when we are frustrated and hurried. When we slow down, they relax and feel free to give us their best moments.

Only shoot when everyone’s safe, comfortable and happy. Don’t pull out the camera if your pets or you are tired, cranky or feeling impatient. This will only create frustration for you and your pet and offer little chance at capturing a great photo.

Tips for taking better pet pics

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Practice, practice, practice. Sage advice but don’t practice taking photos of your pets un-less you make it fun for them and yourself.

Make it fun. Taking photos of your pets should be fun for both of you! Gather up some treats (for your-self as well) and special toys and give your pet lots of affection and praise. Your pet should equate the camera with fun and good things.

Work in short sessions. Pets usually have the attention span of a fruit fly so taking photos in short sessions (work up slowly from about five to 10 seconds per day to five to 15 minutes per week) will keep them entertained while you work on taking great photos. Don’t force your pet to do anything they don’t want to do.

Pump up the cute. Ask yourself: “What is the one thing that makes my pet so cute?” Is it their adorable eyes, the way they cock their head to the side, those raggedy paws or their size. Once you answer that question, you’ll know exactly what to capture in your photo. Now you just have to be creative and figure out how to pump up the cute.

Care with compassion - at the heart of all we do

Mobile vet services. Serving Calgary and area since 1999We come to you — 7 days a week — when you need us

Dekens Housecall Veterinary Services403-615-8016 www.dekensvet.ca

Dr. Dirk Dekens



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If you’re a western recreational rider, your go-to pants are probably a stur-dy pair of jeans. But for maximum comfort while riding English (or any time), you might want to consider

investing in a good pair of breeches. These close-fitting riding pants are usually made of stretchy, breathable material and are avail-

able in many different styles and colours. Still more offer a variety of high-tech features depending on the season and type of riding you’ll be doing.

When choosing a pair of breeches, riders should keep in mind that for everyday school-ing or pleasure riding any type of breech or colour combination will do but for disciplines

such as dressage, eventing or show jumping, specific dress codes will apply. And like most pants, you’ll need to shop around to find the best fit for your particular body type.

We asked the experts at The Horse Store to talk about some of the trends in breeches. Here is what we found out:

• Some western riders choose a stretch den-im boot cut breech, which doesn’t have the inside seam that’s on regular jeans but still gives them the look of riding in jeans. This style is gaining popularity as “Western Dres-sage” becomes increasingly popular.• Silicone is replacing imitation leather on knee patches and full seats on some styles. Imitation leather is still available but some riders like the extra grip silicone provides.• If you like a little bling such as crystals or studs on your breeches, you’ll find it on many styles this season. • Many breeches have fashionable accent or contrast stitching on pockets or outside seams.• As with the trend in jeans, riders will see higher and wider waist bands on some breeches.• Also following general fashion trends, breeches are available in some brighter co-lours and in 2016, teal and grey will be promi-nent.• Boot cut breeches with a flare at the bottom that fit outside of a short riding boot, will ap-peal to recreational riders.• Fall/winter breeches such as Mountain Horse’s Polar Breech or Cavalier’s Irideon Wind Pro Breech offer great features to make riding in the rain, snow and cold as comfort-able and dry as possible.

—The Horse Store is located in northwest Calgary. For more information visit www.horsestore.com.

How to find a great pair of

breechesabove: These breeches, from Horze Equestrian, are high-waisted and feature a silicone pattern on the full seat for better grip. They retain their shape while repelling dirt and moisture. left: Whether you ride for sport or pleasure, having the right gear always makes the ride more comfort-able — and that starts with a great pair of breeches.

photos courtesy Horze Equestrian

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Centuries ago, warriors on horseback hit the battlefields,

holding a shield in one hand and a sword in the other. Most rode bareback and without a bridle. To-gether, horse and rider confronted their oppo-nents, charging and stop-ping, moving right and left, backing up, rearing and performing some amazing moves to con-quer their enemy. All communication between horse and rider was done through the body, heart and soul. These moves are still performed today by the famous Lipizzaner stallions.

Horses haven’t changed over the centuries, but humans certainly have. If it was possible to face life-threatening situations back then while riding stallions bitless, we should be able to ride our performance and pleasure horses with no problem. We’re not going into battle with our horses (al-though some of you may feel as if you are somedays!); we choose to have them in our lives as companions.

The horses that were ridden on the battlefield did not have extensive training and none of them “obeyed” their riders based on negative rein-forcement. There was a much deeper “training” method going on that allowed the horse to respond out of willingness.

Relationship Riding offers a philosophy that challenges conventional training and riding. A lot of research and experience went into the de-velopment of this training and riding method. The horses themselves offered their knowledge and expertise, patiently allowing me to expe-rience and develop Relationship Riding based on what makes sense to them, in a natural and non-defiant way. There are thousands of years of knowledge cantering in our fields, graciously offering information for the benefit of all. It’s up to us to listen and learn from them.

Relationship Riding teaches “true equine leadership.” Horses always follow their leaders in the herd, so if our horses can see us as good equine leaders, they will also follow us, not only physically, but with their heart and soul. This is something we need to learn, not improvise. Relationship Riding teaches six ground/riding exercises based on horse psychology and behaviour that teaches us how to be good equine leaders. Once our horses have accepted us as leaders, they will want to follow us willingly because they will know that is where they are the safest.

But, we cannot “elect” ourselves as leaders. Our horses have that pre-rogative. Once you have proven yourself as a good leader and are chosen by the horses to be that leader, all your training problems will slowly disappear.

Enjoy the journey!

—Barbra Ann King is an internationally known horse behaviour specialist, founder of the Relationship Riding method and author of Opening to Con-sciousness with Relationship Riding. She specializes in rehabilitating horses and optimizing performance. Visit www.relationshipriding.com for more info.

By Barbra Ann King

An introduction to ‘Relationship Riding’

Barbra Ann King and her horse Angelica.

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QA TRAINER

How do I train my dog to come when called?

In dog training jargon, the ability to call your dog is known as “recall.” If you have trained your dog well, you will have 100% recall no matter what the situation and you can take your dog anywhere

without worrying how he is going to behave.

There are three main keys to good recall: good body language, clarity and joyfulness.

1. Good body language: Crouch down low and look like you want to play. Coming to you should be inviting not threatening. Keep your hands close to your body. If you look like you’re going to grab your dog, he will stay an arm’s length away. If he doesn’t trust you to not grab him and stops a short distance away, move back a foot or two and tease him in a little closer. Smile.

2. Clarity: Make sure you use the same command every time. A simple “your dog’s name and come!” will be your dog’s first clue that you want him to come to you. Saying your dog’s name is not enough. And changing your command every time you call is confusing. I’ve observed people use: “Get over here!”, “Com’ere!”, “C’mon!” all at once in a desperate hope that one of these will click. Use the same command every time.

3. Joyfulness: After you’ve given your clear command, en-courage your dog with high pitched, happy sounds such as “Good boy! Good boy! Good Boy!” Or kissy sounds. Or whatever keeps your dog’s attention. Coming to you should always be a happy occasion, no matter how long it took, no matter what bad thing he was doing before he came to you. Never ever punish a dog when he finally arrives, because that’s a sure way to teach your dog not to come.

You’ll be successful if you start with these three tips in your home, then in your backyard before you move to a more public space.

—Liz Nishimura is a Master Dog Trainer and Behavioural Ther-apist with FURRY LOGIC Home Dog Training in Calgary. Visit www.furrylogic.ca or call 403-995-0342.

I get asked a lot how to get a dog to come when called. Having reliable recall is something many owners struggle with. There are a few key points to remem-ber when calling your dog:

• Never call your dog for something negative (ie: brushing, kennel, medication). Coming to you needs to ALWAYS be positive.• Never call your dog in an angry or frustrated tone.• Never call your dog more than once. If they don’t come, go get them and put them back on leash. If you call them multiple times, they learn that they don’t have to come the first time they are called.

To teach your dog to come to you, place your dog in a sit, back to the end of your leash and call your dog to you. If you dog doesn’t come, gently tug on the leash and get them to come to you. When they get to you, verbally and physically praise your dog.

Don’t use cookies as the reward, as your dog will quickly learn to only listen to you if you have food. YOU are the cookie! Repeat this exercise until your dog understands what “come” means. It may take awhile, so don’t get frustrated.

If your dog already doesn’t respond to the word “come”, you should consider picking a new word. My favourite recall command is “hustle!”

Play games like hide and seek in the house to reinforce your dog’s eagerness to come to you. It’s very important to never ever chase your dog. Even when you are playing. Always make the game about you being chased by your dog! That way if your dog doesn’t come at the park, you can start running and your dog will eagerly follow you! If your game is chasing your dog, then your dog will play “catch me if you can.”

The most important thing to remember is that being off leash is a privilege, not a right. If your dog hasn’t earned the right to be off leash, then he should remain on leash!

— Beth O’Connor, owner of Calgary-based Cultured Canines, is a certified dog trainer and behaviourist. She can be reached at 403-472-2384 or visit www.culturedcanines.ca

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ATTENTION: Rescue Organizations and Shelters!

If you are a registered non-profit or charity operating in Alberta, you are invited to submit a business profile of your organization (up to 500 words) to [email protected] to be considered for inclusion in Citizen Pet & Equine’s online Rescue and Shelter Directory.

Inclusion in the Directory is at the sole discretion of the publisher. All submissions will be edited for style and length. For more information call 403-249-2233. To view the directory visit: www.citizenpet.com/pet-adoption/rescue-shelter-directory

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