Animal Talk – July 2019

q&a

DOGTA LK

DID YOU KNOW?

A dog’s noseprint is so unique that it

can be used to identify him.

Depressed doggy

D

epression in dogs is very similar to depression

in humans. Most of what we know about the

action of the various neurotransmitters that affect

depression – the most important being dopamine

• is due to experiments carried out on animals.
  Physical changes in a depressed brain, which can

Do dogs experience depression like people do?

be seen by performing a functional MRI scan or

post-mortem, are the same in humans and animals.

Of course, we cannot ask the dog how he is feeling,

but nearly everything we know about the origin and

progression of depression came from animal studies.

Wendy Wilson, behaviourist

Enough

water

What is the ideal amount of

water that my dog should

drink in a day?

O

n average, your dog should drink

about 30 to 50ml of water for every

1kg of his body weight. That means a

10kg dog should drink 300 to 500ml a day.

Some dogs will naturally drink more water,

especially if they are active, on a hot day,

or if their food is dry. If your dog is fed wet

food, and he is a couch potato, he might

drink less water. Some days he might drink

more than other days.

Another factor that might influence your

dog’s intake of water is salty food, such

as biltong, dry wors and processed meat.

Excessive salt is bad for your dog, will make

him thirsty and he will drink more water.

I

f your pet nibbles his paws excessively, it can

either be due to paw irritation or it has become

a way for your pet to deal with boredom and

stress. It can also be a combination of both and

can become either a generalised skin problem or

never progress beyond the toe region. Should paw-

Toe nibblers

Why does my dog keep

licking his paws?

licking only occur during certain times

of the day or after a stressful situation,

for example a visit to the vet or grooming

parlour, behavioural modification might be

the answer. If only one paw is affected, it could

be a broken toenail, a thorn or splinter, arthritis

affecting only that joint, or even skin cancer in

the case of older dogs. Keep an eye out for ear

infections, discharge from the eyes, generalised

hair loss all over the body or rashes on the stomach

area which could indicate allergies, fleas or

contact sensitivities. Your vet might suggest blood

tests, skin scrapings or biopsies to find the cause

of the problem and advise you on appropriate

treatment. Should all four paws be involved,

allergies are the most common cause. Think about

possible causes like household disinfectants,

grass pollen – especially during certain seasonal

changes – as well as food-related allergies.

Dr Letitia Swartz

COMMON SIGNS OF SPINAL PAIN INCLUDE:

• Trembling and panting.


• Drinking more water than usual.


• Struggling to get up or lie down.


• Reluctance to go up and down stairs.


• Reluctance to go on walks, sometimes unable to finish.


• Temperament changes.


• Abnormal posture.


• Crying or more vocal than usual.

FA S T FAC T S