Nancy Kay's Blog

As is true for all healthcare professionals, veterinarians sometimes develop tunnel vision. Now and then, we become so focused on the test results that we fail to consider whether they make sense in terms of the animal sitting on our exam table.

Astute vets know they must dig deeper when the patient’s exam says one thing and the laboratory test results say another. Recommendations based solely on test results have the potential to seriously undermine a positive outcome.

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Here are two different ways a veterinarian might respond to test results that don’t match the patient:

During his “senior wellness” exam, Barney, a 10-year-old Basset hound, had blood and urine testing. The test results showed advanced stage kidney failure. This news was shocking, as Barney appeared so normal at home and had passed his physical examination with flying colors. The test results simply didn’t fit the patient.

Rather than prescribing treatment for kidney failure, this savvy vet collected a second set of blood and urine samples for re-submission to the lab. Lo and behold, this time the results were all normal. How could this be? There may have been a mix up of blood samples or faulty testing equipment.

Fortunately, a heads up veterinarian who focused on the patient as well as the test results prevented this situation from morphing into a medical comedy of errors.

Rascal, a six-year-old mixed breed dog was evaluated for vomiting and profound weight loss. His weight had dropped from 65 pounds to 52 pounds over the course of three months. Blood tests diagnosed liver failure. His thyroid level (part of the blood panel) was lower than normal, suggesting that Rascal was hypothyroid (producing inadequate thyroid hormone). The veterinarian hospitalized Rascal for treatment of his liver disease and started him on a course of thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

Had this veterinarian considered the patient as well as the test results, he would have questioned the accuracy of the hypothyroid diagnosis. Low thyroid hormone levels invariably cause weight gain, not loss. Rascal likely had what we refer to as “sick euthyroid syndrome” in which significant illness causes a false positive diagnosis of hypothyroidism (the dog is not truly hypothyroid, but appears so on paper). Poor Rascal was already much too thin, and the addition of thyroid hormone would only promote more weight loss. In this case, the veterinarian ignored the facts as presented by the patient.

As your pet’s medical advocate, I encourage you to question things that don’t make sense. Has your dog been diagnosed with a disease, yet you haven’t observed any of the typical symptoms? Have X-rays documented an abnormality in your dog’s right hind leg, but you feel certain the problem is in the left?

As the captain of your dog’s health care team, I encourage you to speak up and speak out—as loudly and persistently as necessary to ensure things make sense. For more information on how to do this, I encourage you to pick up a copy of my book, Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life.

Has your dog ever received a diagnosis that didn’t make sense? If so, how did you respond?

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com

kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.org

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

It’s a joy to read what Annie Grossman writes. Her book, How to Train Your Dog With Love + Science and Substack posts provide words of wisdom along with a hefty helping of humor.

With Annie’s permission, here is her recent Substack post discussing Cesar Millan and training methodologies. It’s a lengthy, but extremely worthwhile read.

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Last month, one of the top podcasts in the world welcomed a guest who was introduced as the world’s preeminent dog trainer. That trainer was Cesar Millan.

Nineteen years ago, I was working as a reporter but I had the vague idea that maybe I’d like to become a professional dog trainer; I would’ve been excited to listen. Today, all I could do was shake my head at how little things have changed.

Back then, my vocational daydreaming led me to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, where I discovered that the number of dog trainers in the United States had nearly tripled since 2000. This statistic led me to pitch a reported story to The New York Times about dog training as an increasingly popular Plan B career. This seemed especially interesting to me since it was (and still is) a completely unregulated field. You can become a professional dog trainer by… just telling people you’re a professional dog trainer.

Almost all of the newly minted “professionals” I spoke to cited the television show The Dog Whisperer as their inspiration.

The program, then three years into its run on the National Geographic channel, starred Millan, who announced in the opening credits that he “rehabilitated dogs” using a special dog knowledge he said was born with.

For the story, I had some questions about the types of methods trainers used—a minor part of the piece. So, I emailed the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers and asked if it would be fair to say that some trainers favored behavior-modification theories relating to how all animals learn, while others favored a Millan-esque approach that involved channeling the energy of a pack leader. The difference between the two approaches seemed esoteric to me: a trained dog was a trained dog, and how you got there didn’t seem to me like it mattered that much.

The CCPDT’s head wrote back and said my question was like asking whether it would be accurate to say that some people believe the Earth is round while others believe it’s flat.

Was she saying that Cesar Millan was peddling snake oil? He’d just been profiled by Malcolm Gladwell in The New Yorker! He’d been on Oprah!

I forwarded the email to my editor with a note:

“Sounds like some serious insider baseball,” I wrote.

Little did I know that I’d end up spending the next two decades in the dugout.

It’s from that vantage point that I now see so many well-intentioned people making the same dangerous assumptions I made.

It’s easy to assume that dog training is like cooking or interior design: a field with competing philosophies, strong personalities, and no objective answers.

It’s also easy to fall for any charismatic underdog who swoops in and fixes people’s life problems in under thirty minutes, with big life lessons baked in: This is what the reality genre is all about: Change your kitchen cabinetry, change your life!

In this context, Millan made (and still makes) for an irresistible protagonist. A diminutive-but-forceful Mexican mystic giving Malibu dog owners their comeuppance for letting their Maltipoos run the show.

His message: Dogs can be saved if their owners simply fix themselves by projecting “calm, confidence, love and joy.” He reduces both problem and solution to a single word: energy.

What kind of energy? Not the energy that powers the grid… Not caloric energy… Not atomic energy…

It’s the kind that exists because Cesar Millan says it does.

The genius of this word is that it borrows from the language of science without submitting to the rules of science.

The whole charade wouldn’t be possible if more people had an awareness that behavior is not a pseudoscience. There’s been more than a century of experimental science devoted to understanding how animals learn, and decades of development of technologies of teaching methods with results that can be replicated— methods that are used with service animals, zoo animals and even with humans. The best animal trainers and the most successful designers of addictive apps both use methods stemming from work born from BF Skinner’s Harvard lab in the mid-20th century. (Fifty years ago, he was on the cover of Time; today, some of the smartest people I know associate his name only with a character named for him: Principal Skinner on The Simpsons).

The email I deemed “insider baseball” was written to help me shine light on the science behind dog training. But I couldn’t look away from the shadows on the cave walls.

It’s tempting to dismiss all of this as an esoteric disagreement among dog trainers. Dogs love us no matter what, right? And our bond with them is different, so it’d be reductive to liken the way they learn to the way any other animal learns, no?

I no longer think so.

The study of animal behavior and the laws of learning are not species-specific. “Dog psychology,” as Millan uses the term, is not a distinct scientific framework. It has resulted in a brand of woo that can end up worsening the very problems it’s meant to solve—fear, aggression, and avoidance among them. This can result in people getting bitten and dogs euthanized. His own dog allegedly mauled a teenager visiting his office in the United States, where there are no laws in place about who can or can’t call themselves a professional dog trainer; trainers using similar techniques have been arrested for using methods that have been deemed animal abuse.

Today, I see the dog-training world as divided less by personalities than by ethics.

I am on the side of trying to change canine behavior through methods that are as minimally intrusive as possible: this involves careful observation of body language, environmental management, precise use of positive reinforcement, and an understanding of the laws of learning. Trainers like me usually avoid using negative reinforcement and punishment, and sometimes call themselves “Positive Reinforcement” trainers.

On the other are trainers who might sometimes use positive reinforcement, but also might suggest punishment and negative reinforcement while generally paying little attention to the fallout these methods can produce. These trainers often refer to themselves as “Balanced” trainers, as they see themselves as using a “balance” of punishment and reinforcement-based training methods.

Millan lives in the latter space, but sells it with his own New Age-y self-help verbiage that masks methods which rely heavily on intimidation. This can produce dogs that appear calm because they’ve basically given up on trying to escape a bad situation: it’s referred to in psychology as Learned Helplessness.

There are countless episodes of Millan kicking dogs, hanging them by their leashes, or pinning them to the ground by their necks. He sells his own line of shock collars and choke collars.

But it’s all wrapped in language that sounds almost spiritual.

Suppressing behavior becomes “calm surrender.”

A frightened, shut-down dog becomes a dog in a “good state of mind”—good, apparently, meaning whatever isn’t inconveniencing the human.

When something goes wrong, it’s usually because the person failed to project the right energy.

Reality television rewards simple explanations and dramatic transformations. “Change your energy” is a much better television premise than “systematically reinforce desired behavior while carefully managing antecedents and consequences.”

One sounds like homework.

The other sounds like magic.

And that’s what makes it so persuasive.

I thought about my Times story earlier this month while listening to Andrew Huberman interview Cesar Millan.

Huberman is a Stanford neuroscientist whose enormously popular podcast, Huberman Lab, promises “science-based tools for everyday life.” After introducing Millan, Huberman tells listeners they’re about to learn about dog biology and psychology. Then he begins describing walking his dog and silently sending the dog what he called “approval energy.” He did this just by thinking approving thoughts. The dog looked up at him.

Huberman found this remarkable.

Correlation isn’t causation—but hey, I’m not the one with a PhD.

Millan tells Huberman that dogs should follow what’s in a person’s mind and that one way to make this possible is to literally pray before engaging with your dog. Huberman responds by saying his relationship with his dog improved “an order of magnitude” once he embraced this way of thinking, then extends the idea to human relationships as well.

One man’s interpretation of one dog’s glance becomes a theory of communication.

Two decades ago, I would’ve accepted this unthinkingly.

Now, I felt like he was endorsing a flat-earther to head up NASA.

Whenever a dog trainer online criticizes Millan, they’re met with comments from his defenders who insist that we just don’t understand energy. My response is usually: It’s true! Please enlighten me.

How is it measured?

Heart rate?

Cortisol?

Infrared goggles?

Those are variables that can be observed and studied.

If you mean invisible vibes, good luck designing that experiment.

Going deep into his oeuvre through the years, I found Millan recommends cultivating the right “energy” by emulating figures like Oprah Winfrey and Cleopatra, and studying method acting and judo. He also suggests just adopting a ramrod posture, as he does at some point in most episodes.

His most telling advice on how to improve your energy comes from his book Cesar’s Way: “Fake it till you make it,” he writes.

Indeed.

After listening to the Huberman interview, I sent him a message.

He wrote back almost immediately.

“Ultimately,” he wrote me, “I think we all want what’s best for animals! I certainly do!”

He seemed genuinely curious about how someone could question Millan’s expertise.

He asked what parts of the episode I took issue with.

My knee-jerk reaction was to write “All of it!” But then I hesitated.

I didn’t want to insult him.

I know it’d be too easy to dismiss reason… as I had once done when someone wrote me thoughtfully on the same topic long ago.

___________________________________

Please tell me, what are your feelings about Cesar Millan’s training methods?

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com

kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.org

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Maintaining the company of a “Clifford” creates a unique feeling of companionship. Walking beside a giant dog, one feels almost regal. And, not having to bend over to stroke your best buddy’s head is a nice perk.

Before you adopt a large or giant breed pup such as a German Shepherd, Great Dane, Wolfhound, or Newfoundland, to name a few, be aware that your youngster’s rapidly growing (lengthening) legs are prone to a few types of orthopedic “growing pains.” Most cases are mild and transient, but others require intervention.

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

These issues arise during the first 12 to 18 months of life when the bones are lengthening most rapidly. They often affect more than one limb, resulting in a “shifting leg lameness.” The pup favors whichever leg hurts the most on any given day.

Normal joints develop a smooth layer of cartilage that protects the underlying bone. OCD disrupts this process, and the cartilage fails to develop normally. The unhealthy cartilage develops cracks or flaps, resulting in inflammation within the joint. In some cases, the flap detaches from the cartilage surface and becomes a free floating “joint mouse.” The result is a painful lameness.

Shoulder joints are most commonly affected, but OCD can also occur in elbows, stifles (knees), hips, and hocks (ankles). X-rays diagnose this disease. Some dogs respond to rest, dietary modification (see below), and anti-inflammatory medication. For others, surgery is necessary to remove the “mouse” along with any remaining defective cartilage.

The thin layer of cells known as the periosteum along the outer surface of the legs’ long bones is packed with pain receptors. Inflammation of this periosteum (panosteitis) causes dogs to react painfully to pressure applied over their long bones (femur, humerus). Panosteitis can also cause a fever and lethargy. X-rays confirm the diagnosis.

Most dogs respond favorably to rest, diet modification (see below), and anti-inflammatory medications. Episodes may last for two to three weeks, or can continue for months at a time.

Growth plates, the sites from which bones elongate, remain “open” until a dog has fully matured. HOD refers to inflammation within open growth plates. It causes swelling and pain in multiple joints and may be associated with fever and loss of appetite. As with the growth abnormalities mentioned above, X-rays confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment involves rest, dietary modification (see below), and anti-inflammatory medication. Just as with panosteitis, most dogs with HOD improve over time. Damage to the growth plate is rare, resulting in abnormal bone growth and a deformed appearance of the affected legs (angular limb deformity).

Here are some dietary factors to consider when raising your large puppy.

Excess calories contribute to large and giant breed puppies growing too quickly. They should maintain a lean appearance as they develop.

Excess calcium is of particular concern in rapidly growing large/giant breeds. Too much can disrupt the normal bone remodeling process.

Avoid supplements containing calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, or other minerals unless specifically prescribed by a veterinarian. Excess amounts can interfere with normal skeletal development.

We used to believe that the high-protein content in puppy food formulations contributed to the development of these bone disorders. Now we mostly emphasize consumption of too many calories.

The high occurrence of these developmental disorders in certain breeds and bloodlines suggests that genetics play a role.

Before adopting a large or giant breed pup, ask the breeder about the incidence of OCD, panosteitis, and HOD in their bloodline. Include dam, sire, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. In an ideal world, dogs who have experienced these issues should not be used for breeding.

While it’s tempting to “grow” large or giant-breed pups as big as possible and as quick as possible, it’s important to let them achieve their final height naturally and gradually. Pushing the process with overnutrition or over-supplementation does far more harm than good.

Here are dietary recommendations when raising a large or giant breed puppy:

Feed a premium diet that is formulated for large-breed pups. They’re designed to avoid excess calories (although they don’t control how much you put in the bowl) and over-supplementation with calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D.

Make sure your youngster maintains a lean body weight—no pudgy puppies allowed!

Eliminate vitamin/mineral supplements. A high quality diet provides all the vitamins and minerals needed for normal growth and development.

If feeding a homemade diet, work with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to ensure the food is balanced for normal bone development.

Have you ever had a pup with one of these disorders? If so, how did you manage it?

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com

kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.org

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

There’s a lot to be said for a vigorous walk with your dog after a rainstorm. The landscape is refreshed, the air smells great, and you and your dog get to unleash some cabin fever!

As fun as it is to watch your dog splash and play in the puddles you encounter, caution is advised. Depending on the surrounding environment, those pools of standing water can harbor health hazards.

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Leptospirosis organisms are bacteria that thrive in wet climates. Wild animals—rodents in particular—and some domesticated animals (cows, sheep, pigs) can carry leptospirosis and shed the organism in their urine. Even though they’re infected, these mammals maintain good health. Unfortunately, not true for dogs.

Dogs can contract leptospirosis by drinking from water sources contaminated with urine from an infected animal. Puddles that form from rain runoff qualify as such a source. Infection can also occur from eating an animal carrying the disease. How many of us have had dogs that readily gobble down the rodents they catch?

Not all dogs exposed to leptospirosis get sick, but for those that do, kidney failure often occurs. Associated symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. The liver and lungs are also targets for this disease.

Blood and urine tests are used to diagnose leptospirosis. Success of treatment with antibiotics and intravenous fluids relies on catching the diagnosis early.

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine consensus statement reads as follows: “All dogs are at risk of leptospirosis, regardless of signalment, geographic location, lifestyle, and the time of year.”

The leptospirosis vaccine is effective and reliable. Be sure to discuss it with your veterinarian.

Giardia organisms are microscopic protozoa that live within the intestinal tract of a variety of domesticated and wild animals. The infectious (contagious) forms shed in the feces readily contaminate water sources. This is one of the main reasons it’s recommended that hikers and backpackers drink only filtered water.

Dog parks are notoriously rich in intestinal parasites. In a study of 300 dog park attendees, 9% tested positive for giardia. So, drinking from dog park puddles is especially risky.

Just as with people, diarrhea is the most common symptom in dogs. Vomiting and loss of appetite may also occur. Stool sample testing is used to diagnose giardia. Metronidazole and fenbendazole are the drugs most commonly used for treatment.

Given the highly contagious nature of giardia, diagnosis in one household pet may warrant testing and/or treatment of the entire herd. Keep in mind, giardia is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from dogs to humans (yuck).

Many antifreeze products have a sweet taste, making them a tempting treat for dogs. The most common ways dogs gain access are by chewing on an antifreeze container and licking up antifreeze that has leaked from a vehicle.

Ingestion of even a tiny amount of antifreeze can have devastating consequences. Ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in antifreeze, causes acute, often irreversible kidney failure. Symptoms can include lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weakness, and ultimately coma and/or seizures.

History, urine and blood testing, and often a kidney biopsy are used to make the diagnosis. Unfortunately, even with aggressive and expensive therapy, many dogs suffering from antifreeze toxicity don’t survive.

Propylene glycol is the active ingredient in “pet-safe” antifreeze products. Beware as it’s still potentially toxic depending on the amount the dog ingests.

If your dog may have licked or swallowed antifreeze, even a small amount, treat this as an emergency, even if your dog seems completely fine. If your dog may have licked or swallowed antifreeze, even a small amount, treat this as an emergency, even if there are no early symptoms. Antifreeze poisoning quickly causes irreversible kidney damage. The sooner treatment begins, the better the likely outcome.

Does your dog ever encounter standing water with these potential hazards?

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com

kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.com

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Hello dear readers,

I have a favor to ask of you. Do you have connections with:

middle-grade teachers?

middle school librarians?

public librarians?

If so, I would love if you would share their contact information with me.

Here’s why I’m asking. Now that the 2026-2027 school year is about to begin, I want to contact teachers and librarians to arrange a classroom visit (in person or over zoom). I’d like to share my experiences as a veterinarian and author and introduce the kids to my novel, . For many, if not most, of these middle-school kiddos, it will be their first exposure to puppy mills.

If you know teachers and/or librarians and can share their contact information, please email me (vetmama@sonic.net). Thank you in advance!

With much gratitude,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.org

Recently, horrible photos have been showing up on my social media feeds. They’re of ready-for-slaughter “meat dogs” intended for human consumption. The animals are stacked on top of one another in stuffed-to-the-gills cages or restrained in burlap sacks with only their heads poking out. Have you seen these? They break my heart and I click away from them just as fast as I can.

I adore dogs and cannot imagine my life, both personal and professional, without them. So it’s no wonder I’m highly sensitized to such photos. I can appreciate that other cultures view dogs differently than what we’re used to here. In some parts of the world, people eat dog meat the same way we might eat a pork chop.

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Just like the dogs who share our homes and hearts, dogs raised for meat are intelligent, sentient beings that react to pain, pleasure, fear, and distress. Living conditions on dog meat farms are horrific, and the way they’re transported for sale or slaughter is the definition of inhumane. I’ve never visited one of these meat farms (and hope I never will). Based on what I’ve learned, it appears the level of suffering is comparable to puppy mills.

Like dogs, pigs are highly intelligent, curious, adventurous, and playful animals. They respond to their names, form deep bonds, love to play, learn complex tasks, solve problems, and even dream when they sleep.

Just like dogs raised for meat, pigs are housed in horribly inhumane conditions. They spend the vast majority of their lives in gestation or farrowing crates in which they’re unable to take more than a few steps forward or backward. They can’t even turn around.

I think a lot about the following question. Why do we get so hot and bothered about eating dogs, but readily consume pork? Sure, we love our dogs deeply and don’t have that kind of relationship with pigs. But how can we turn our backs on the fact that, just like dogs, pigs are intelligent, sensitive creatures who experience physical and psychological distress?

Please know this is not me trying to convince you to quit eating meat. Rather, I’m inviting you to consider why we accept one type of animal cruelty, but not another?

I’m super interested in your feedback on this. Please share your thoughts.

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.org

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our pets didn’t have to poop? No litter boxes to clean, no toting warm feces around in a green plastic bag, and no inadvertently stepping in a fresh pile of poo (major yuck). Alas, poop production is simply a normal part of life. What goes in must come out.

Those in the veterinary profession deal with pet poop on a daily basis. How do we put a positive spin on it? Here’s how:

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is an Easter egg hunt done veterinary medicine style. Screening a pet for intestinal worms involves mixing a poop sample with a special liquid, spinning it in a centrifuge, and then looking at the concoction under the microscope. One peers through the lens, adjusts the focus, scans around, and then, bingo! Intestinal parasite eggs! Finding them is always exciting, and when there’s more than one type of egg present, it’s like winning the fecal lottery!

Clients come up with some pretty creative containers in which to deliver their pets’ poop samples. Imagine a plastic grocery bag, or one of those long plastic newspaper bags. Now visualize soft, mushy poop at the very bottom of the bag. How are you gonna get to it without fecalizing your forearm? Trust me when I tell you it’s a challenge. I’d tell you how, but it’s a trade secret.

When a client tells me their pet has diarrhea, I ask questions as if I’m a police detective investigating a crime.

-Any blood?

-Any mucous?

-Any straining?

-Any urgency?

-How big are the bm’s?

-How many bm’s per day?

The answers to these questions help me pinpoint if the cause of the diarrhea is within the small intestine, the large intestine, or both. This is critical information in my world, and when my client knows the answers to every question, it makes my day!

Imagine this scenario. “Bad Dog” ate his human’s diamond engagement ring. X-rays tell me that the ring has made it all the way down to Bad Dog’s colon (the very end of the intestinal tract). We keep Bad Dog in the hospital. The minute he produces a poop sample, we attack it with a tongue depressor, hoping to strike gold (and diamonds). Once we find the ring, we wash it and return it. Ring owner takes Bad Dog home, hoping he will be Good Dog in the future.

Believe it or not, I sometimes receive client emails with pictures of their pet’s poop, I laughs\ thinking about what I would say had I no inhibitory neurons. The adult in me crafts an email response that is tactful and appreciative of my client’s good intentions. I gently explain that a photo can’t possibly take the place of viewing the poop (and the animal) up close and personal.

And then there are the data collectors who keep logs (pun intended) of their pet’s poop weight and diameter? I encourage these folks to do whatever makes them happy, but no need to include me in the process.

Any interesting poop stories to share?

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.org

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a pretty darned awful heart disease in dogs. The heart muscle becomes weak and flabby, failing in its function to pump blood around the body. Dogs with DCM may show zero evidence of their disease until something dramatic happens, such as fulminant heart failure or a heart rhythm abnormality resulting in sudden weakness, collapse, or even death. This disease is trouble with a capital “D”.

Genetics is the most common cause of DCM with Doberman pinschers, Irish wolfhounds, Great Danes, Newfoundlands, Portuguese water dogs, boxers, Saint Barnards, and cocker spaniels, and giant schnauzers leading the pack.

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Less common are nutritional causes of DCM:

Taurine is an amino acid (protein building block) produced in dogs’ livers. It’s also found in meat, fish, and dairy products. For years, we’ve known about taurine deficiency-induced DCM, particularly in cats who are unable to manufacture their own taurine. Commercial cat food manufacturers have upped the amount of taurine in the foods they sell, so the incidence of feline DCM has fallen dramatically.

Some dogs seemingly lack the ability to manufacture their own taurine. Cases of taurine-responsive DCM have been documented, most commonly in cocker spaniels and golden retrievers.

Feeding grain-free diets to our dogs has become quite the fad. They exclude cereal grains such as wheat, barley, rice, and maize. Grain-free diets have gained popularity because of the market perception that they are a healthier, more natural, hypoallergenic alternative.

In 2018, the Food and Drug Association (FDA) began investigating DCM cases possibly linked with grain-free diets. Not all dogs eating grain-free develop DCM, but since 2018, I’ve been asking, “Is it a risk worth taking?”

Grain-free does not mean 100% meat. In commercially prepared grain-free dog foods, the list of ingredients often includes peas, lentils, and/or beans, all excellent sources of protein and carbohydrates. In terms of causing DCM, these ingredients may play a bigger role than simply the grain-free status.

We don’t know with certainty that peas and other legumes cause DCM in dogs. However, the FDA is investigating a possible association. The primary concern isn’t peas or other legumes in small amounts, but diets in which they are major ingredients (see list of ingredients above).

Researchers have suggested possible underlying mechanisms: the diet may displace other nutrients, affect the balance of amino acids, or lower levels of vitamins needed for normal cardiac metabolism.

Are you feeding a grain-free diet to your dog? If so, take a look at the list of ingredients. Any legumes near the top of the list?

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.org

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

“I’m taking my dog to the vet to get fixed.”

“She’s in heat. Time to get her fixed.”

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Such a strange expression. Veterinarians fix broken legs and infected teeth, not reproductive organs. Some would say “fixed” is a more genteel way of saying spayed, castrated, neutered, or sterilized. Others suggest it implies the animal has been “made all right.” No matter. I’m in favor of anything that prevents unintentional litters.

“Fixing” animals has everything to do with the current state of animal shelters in the United States. Shelters describe themselves as at capacity, overcrowded, and short-staffed. Turning away homeless animals is commonplace, and good Samaritans are told to release strays back onto the streets. Yikes!

While it’s tempting to shine the spotlight solely on what shelters are or are not doing right, I believe it’s equally important to focus on the pipeline—the vast, ever-increasing flow of homeless animals in need of sheltering. How can we tackle this massive problem?

Ed Boks is a highly regarded expert in the realm of animal sheltering. I strongly encourage you to subscribe to his Substack, Animal Politics with Ed Boks.

Ed has this to say.

From roughly 1990 through 2010, many communities invested heavily in spay and neuter programs to reduce intake. During that period, national shelter intake and euthanasia declined dramatically as prevention became a central strategy. In recent years, more attention has shifted toward managing animals already entering the system through transports, foster networks, managed intake, diversion programs, and other operational strategies.

Animal welfare systems are not failing because they focus on capacity. They are strained because capacity solutions often become substitutes for population solutions rather than partners to them.

Had I a magic wand, I would insert “responsible pet owner chips” into the brains of every human, at least every human in the United States. Scandinavian countries have wonderfully responsible populations. But I digress.

The number one way we can reduce the flow of homeless animals into our shelters is via aggressive spay/neuter programs. This means development of many more low-cost spay/neuter clinics and people’s access to them.

In other words, “fixing” is the fix.

Here are some things we all can do to decrease the homeless pet population:

Give a damn about this problem.

Educate, educate, educate about responsible pet ownership and our current animal sheltering foibles. Don’t forget our kiddos—what they learn now may just last a lifetime (visit KidsUnitedforAnimalWelfare.org).

Volunteer with local animal shelters and humane organizations.

With money and/or volunteer hours, support programs that help make spay/neuter surgeries more affordable.

Encourage our legislators to fund spay/neuter programs, new ones and those that already exist.

Join the fight against puppy mills that pour thousands of dogs into our hands, often replacing the opportunity to adopt or foster a homeless animal.

Donate time and money to spay-neuter clinics.

Every time we hear about an unintentional litter of puppies, let’s remember, there’s more we can do.

How do you feel about the current state of animal sheltering in the United States? Any suggested solutions?

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com kidsunitedforanimalwelfare.org

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Chewing gum, mints, toothpaste, mouthwash, candy, baked goods, peanut butter, cough syrups, chewable vitamins, lip balm, sunscreen—read the labels on these products carefully to determine if they contain xylitol. If so, keep them secured in a cabinet away from your counter surfing, purse snatching, pickpocketing pooch. Xylitol is a commonly used sugar substitute. While safe for human consumption, it is extremely toxic for dogs. In fact, it can be deadly.

Xylitol was discovered by German chemist Emil Fisher in 1891 while he was experimenting with sugars found in wood. Current day xylitol is manufactured using xylan, a sugar substance found in hardwood trees, coconuts, and corncobs. Its popularity is attributed to a few things:

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Xylitol is as sweet as sucrose, but with far fewer calories.

Compared to sugar, it causes very little insulin release in people and certain other species.

Xylitol prevents mouth bacteria that can damage the surfaces of teeth. For this reason, it’s a common ingredient in toothpastes, sugar-free gum, and mouthwash products.

The effect of xylitol is super species-specific. In people, rats, horses, and rhesus monkeys, xylitol causes little to no increase in insulin release or change in blood sugar levels. The exact opposite happens in dogs, cats, cows, goats, rabbits, and baboons. Xylitol markedly increases insulin release, which causes the animal’s blood sugar to plummet to dangerously low levels.

This xylitol induced low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia) can cause weakness, trembling, seizures, collapse, and even death.

At higher doses, xylitol can cause massive liver destruction (known as necrosis) in which liver cells die abruptly. This produces an acute health crisis and can even cause death.

Vomiting is often the first symptom of xylitol toxicity. Other symptoms related to the low blood sugar level develop within 30 minutes to 12 hours following consumption. When xylitol-induced liver damage occurs, liver enzyme values typically begin increasing within 12 to 24 hours.

Emergency treatment is warranted after a dog consumes xylitol. If vomiting can be successfully induced within the first 30 to 60 minutes (before the xylitol leaves the stomach), the problem may be solved. Once xylitol leaves the stomach and triggers the pancreas to produce insulin, intensive treatment may be needed to counteract the resulting hypoglycemia and liver damage.

Treatment includes hospitalization with round-the-clock care, blood monitoring, and administration of intravenous glucose and liver-protective agents. In some cases, blood transfusions are needed to counteract the effects of blood clotting abnormalities caused by liver failure.

The prognosis for xylitol toxicity varies depending on the amount of xylitol swallowed and how promptly the dog receives treatment.

Many foods and dental products contain xylitol. Here’s a list of the more common ones:

- toothpaste

- mouthwash

- chewing gum

- peanut butter

- sugar-free candy

- sugar free breath mints

- fruit drinks

- jellies and jams

- cereals

- baked goods

- sugar-free puddings and Jello

- over-the-counter vitamin supplements

Believe it or not, some products advertised specifically for dogs, such as toothpaste, contain small amounts of xylitol! What are these manufacturers thinking?!

Not all product labels clearly list all ingredients. If a label states, “artificially sweetened,” assume xylitol until proven otherwise. “Birch sugar” and “wood sugar” are also red flags.

If your dog has just eaten (as in you watched it happen) something containing xylitol, contact a veterinary hospital staff member right away. They may coach you on inducing your dog to vomit at home.

If you’re not really sure when the xylitol was consumed (you’ve just returned home from work and the remains of sugar-free gum wrappers are decorating the couch), or which dog(s) did the deed, get them to a nearby veterinary clinic or 24-hour emergency hospital right away. Be sure to take the label of the consumed product with you. Time is always of the essence when treating xylitol toxicity.

Look in your pantry and bathrooms, your pockets and handbags, your car consoles to see if you have any xylitol-containing products. What did you find? Do your dogs have access to them?

Best wishes to you and your four-legged family members for abundant good health,

Dr. Nancy

drnancykay.com

Speaking for Spot - Dr. Nancy Kay is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.