But this feline behavior – called bunting or head rubbing – is quite common and happens for a variety of reasons. 

Why Do Cats Rub Their Face on Things?

Cats rub their faces on things for many reasons, depending on the context or object being rubbed.

Leaving Scent Marks

Cats have multiple scent glands on their heads. They have glands located around their mouths, chins, sides of the face, neck and ears. When a cat rubs his face on an item, he leaves his scent behind. The act of a cat rubbing his head on objects is called “bunting.” The height of the object determines which part of his head a cat will use to leave a scent mark on an item. Cats also tend to choose conspicuous objects, such as a corner that sticks out, whether it’s a wall, the edge of a coffee table or sofa, or even the corner of a book or box. Male cats tend to bunt on more items than female cats. Cats also tend to bunt over the scent marks left by other cats.

Marking Territory

Cats sometimes bunt to inform other cats of their presence in the vicinity. Bunting may also be a form of “time stamping,” meaning that other cats may be able to determine by the age of the marking how recently another cat was there. If the mark is relatively fresh, they may want to leave the area soon to avoid conflict. Some cats bunt when they are anxious. Spreading their scent around may be a way of coping or making themselves feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar environment.

Showing Affection

Cats who rub their faces on humans may also be demonstrating a sign of affection or greeting behavior. Cats who live in social groups often rub on each other as a form of greeting.

Picking Up Information

Rubbing on objects may also be a way to pick up scent. When cats bunt on their owners, they not only deposit their scents but also pick up scents from the owner.

Looking for a Mate

Cats rubbing on objects is one way sexually intact cats provide visual cues to other cats during mating season. Males are more interested in female bunt marks during the mating season, which indicates the female’s scent changes to entice male interest.

The post Why Do Cats Rub Their Face on Things? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

The brain, heart, lungs, muscles, and every other part of a dog’s body need glucose to live. But if your dog is suffering from hypoglycemia, he’s not producing enough glucose to support optimum brain and organ health.

Let’s take a closer look at hypoglycemia in dogs including the symptoms and treatment options available.  

What is Hypoglycemia in Dogs?

Hypoglycemia is known as low blood sugar in dogs. It typically affects small-breed puppies and dogs with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, endocrinological diseases, or infectious and inflammatory diseases. 

When hypoglycemia becomes severe, a dog’s brain may not receive enough glucose and it can start to shut down. If this happens, a dog may act confused, experience seizures, or collapse and be unresponsive. 

Hypoglycemia Symptoms in Dogs

Hypoglycemia affects how active a dog may be and may also affect how the dog behaves. Dogs with hypoglycemia may be lethargic, sleep more, or tire easily with exercise. 

Some dogs actively seek out food because they are hungrier. This may mean that they eat their meals more quickly, may grab food items off the table, and may become destructive trying to get into any items containing food. 

The dog may be overall more irritable and less tolerant of interactions with people, similar to how a person with low blood sugar may behave. 

Some signs of hypoglycemia in dogs include:

• Seizures
• Collapse
• Weakness
• Lethargy
• Depression
• Loss of motor coordination (i.e. stumbling around)
• Muscle twitches
• Increased appetite
• Exercise intolerance
• Changes in behavior

Some dogs with hypoglycemia may act normal. Or the dog may only experience these signs intermittently.

Causes of Low Blood Sugar in Dogs

There are various causes of hypoglycemia. They can be classified in one of following categories:

Reduced glucose intake. This is primarily seen in young, small-breed puppies due to the puppy not eating often enough. The puppy is active, exploring and playing, and then he runs out of glucose and collapses. The puppy does not know he needs to eat often to maintain his glucose level, and he may not have enough reserves in his body.

Overuse of glucose. The body uses up the glucose in cases where the dog may be overexerting himself or herself—such as in hunting dogs or pregnant mothers that are not fed enough food. It can also occur in cases where the dog experiences sepsis, which is a condition where there is widespread infection in the body. This may lead to organ failure and the body shutting down.

Endocrinological disorders. Certain types of pancreatic cancers—including insulinoma and extrapancreatic paraneoplasia—can produce more insulin than is needed. The higher insulin level in the blood moves more glucose into the cells, leaving a low overall blood glucose level in the body. Dogs with the endocrinologic disease hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease) can also experience hypoglycemia. 

Dogs receiving insulin injections for diabetes mellitus may also experience hypoglycemia. This may occur after the initial diagnosis as the veterinarian is adjusting the insulin dose or due to pet parent error if the dog is given too much insulin or given insulin when the dog has not eaten his meal.

Liver disease. A dog who is experiencing liver disease, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or portosystemic shunts, can also experience hypoglycemia. Liver disease interferes with the breakdown of glycogen (excess glucose).   

Ingestion of toxins. Dogs who eat human food items that contain xylitol are in danger of experiencing hypoglycemia and damage to their livers, since dogs cannot metabolize xylitol. 

Diagnosing Hypoglycemia in Dogs

If you suspect your dog may be hypoglycemic, have him examined by your veterinarian right away to prevent him from having seizures. 

Your veterinarian will take a detailed history, perform a physical examination, and perform baseline diagnostic tests, such as blood work and urine tests. Based on the results of the bloodwork, your veterinarian may recommend more specialized bloodwork and an abdominal ultrasound to determine the exact cause for the hypoglycemia.

Treatment for Hypoglycemia

After diagnostic tests are performed to determine the cause for the hypoglycemia, your veterinarian can discuss the best medical treatment for your dog. 

Depending on the severity and cause of the hypoglycemia, this may be outpatient treatment or your dog may require hospitalization for several days. 

If your dog is hospitalized, he will likely need to have an intravenous catheter placed and dextrose solution given through the catheter. During this process, your dog’s vital signs will be monitored. Throughout the stay, the medical team will continue to check the glucose level of your dog. 

Your dog can only be discharged from the hospital when his glucose level has stabilized. Even after hospitalization, your veterinarian may refer your dog to be seen by a specialist for ongoing treatment and care. 

In case of an emergency where your dog appears weak, lethargic, or collapses, you should immediately take him to the veterinarian for specialized care.

Cost to Treat Hypoglycemia in Dogs 

The cost of treatment can vary depending upon the type of treatment needed. The cost can range from $500 (outpatient treatment) to $2,000-$3,000 or more for several days of diagnostic testing and intensive care.  

How to Prevent Hypoglycemia in Dogs 

There are only a few situations in which a pet parent can prevent hypoglycemia. 

Small breed puppies should be fed a small meal every 2-4 hours until about 16 weeks of age. Pregnant dogs should be provided plenty of food to eat. Hunting dogs should be given meals with complex carbohydrates, fats, and proteins a few hours before the hunting excursion and be given snacks or smaller meals every 3-5 hours during the hunt. 

Dogs with infectious or inflammatory disease should have their food intake and medical condition closely monitored. If they do not receive enough nutrients during this time period, they can potentially experience hypoglycemia. Or if the dog’s condition worsens and he becomes septic, then hypoglycemia can occur. These dogs will need further medical care. 

If you have a diabetic dog, make sure that he is eating, and then administer the correct type and amount of insulin. Make sure you are using the appropriate-size syringes to administer the insulin. If your dog does not eat, contact your veterinarian, who can advise you on whether you should administer insulin. 

In addition, make sure that any food item that contains xylitol is out of your dog’s reach. 

There are certain conditions and liver diseases where a dog may need medications, special diets, supplements, and management for the rest of his life. To prevent hypoglycemia, follow all veterinary instructions to manage the disease.  

Related Conditions 

• Addison’s disease
• Liver disease
• Xylitol poisoning

The post Hypoglycemia in Dogs appeared first on Great Pet Care.

People can also verbalize when they are feeling unhappy. Unfortunately, dogs cannot tell us when they are feeling lonely, sad, or yes, even depressed. 

Do Dogs Get Depressed?

There is evidence that dogs can experience depression, especially if there has been a stressful or traumatic change in their lives. However, some dogs may experience depression relating to the worsening of an anxiety disorder. 

Exposure to people, other animals, situations or environment that increases the dog’s overall level of stress can cause depression. 

Depression is typically seen in middle-aged to senior dogs. For some dogs that suffer from an anxiety disorder, depression may be the result of their coping mechanisms failing. 

What Causes Dog Depression?

There are several potential factors that could contribute to canine depression. These include:

• Addition of a new family member (infants, adults, new pet)
• Loss of a family member 
• Loss of another animal housemate (dog or cat)
• Recent move
• Change in lifestyle
• Being rehomed to a new family
• Being abandoned
• Increasing levels of stress and anxiety 
• Underlying medical condition

Dogs can form strong bonds to their pet parents, other animal housemates, or other dog friends. When there is a disruption in the bond, such as the death of a family member or another pet in the household or even the addition of new family members, it can produce a lot of stress, anxiety, and depression. 

Dogs do not understand death the way people do. When the person or pet disappears, it leaves a gap in the dog’s life. Their daily routine is disrupted. If the dog is always walked by a particular family member at the same time every day, and that person is no longer there, the dog is left confused.  

While the loss of a person can be devastating to dogs, the addition of family members in the house also lead to depression. If a new baby or pet comes into the picture, the attention of pet owners is usually split.

Having another person or pet in the house can also produce more stress. There is more noise, activity, and usually a change in a dog’s daily routine. Some dogs have a difficult time coping with these changes. 

Dogs that are experiencing pain or suffering from certain medical conditions may lose interest in playing, going on walks, and eating. Dogs do not always show pain in a visible or audible way. 

Some conditions that can cause pain and affect a dog’s quality of life include infections of the ear, skin, or bladder, degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. 

Any form of chronic stress whether related to a medical condition or a change in the dog’s daily routine can contribute to a dog developing depression.

Dog Depression Symptoms

Since dogs cannot verbalize that they feel depressed, we need to observe their behavior and body language to determine if they are suffering from depression. 

Visible signs of depression in dogs include:

• Head held lower
• Ears held to the side or back 
• Tail hanging down
• Slow response to verbal cues/commands
• Sleeping for prolonged periods of time
• Lying down for prolonged periods of time
• Decreased interest in food or treats
• Decreased interest in going out for a walk or car ride
• Decreased interest in playing with toys or people

Similar to people, when dogs are depressed, they are generally less active and show less interest in doing things they previously enjoyed. A depressed dog may no longer find joy in playing with toys, going for walks, running around in the yard, or even eating meals or treats.

Diagnosing Your Dog With Depression

Canine depression is an uncommon behavioral disorder. It is determined after ruling out medical diseases and after taking a detailed history on how the dog behaves and what is going on in his life. 

There is no specific test to diagnose canine depression. If your dog exhibits a sudden change in behavior, he should first be examined by your veterinarian to determine if he is experiencing a medical problem. 

Your veterinarian may recommend diagnostic blood work and a urinalysis to rule out medical conditions given the age and health of your dog. If pain is suspected, the doctor may recommend radiographs, such as X-rays, to look for a root cause. 

Once your dog is deemed physically healthy, your veterinarian may make the diagnosis of depression. Your veterinarian may also refer you to a veterinary behaviorist for a more definitive diagnosis and comprehensive treatment plan.

Depression vs. Hypothyroidism in Dogs

There are some medical conditions that may look similar to canine depression such as hypothyroidism. Dogs with hypothyroidism may be slower moving and may not show interest in being active or interactive with family members. 

Determining if a dog has hypothyroidism requires further diagnostic testing. Costs of additional testing may vary from $300-$500 depending which tests are recommended. If your dog is diagnosed with a medical problem and treatment is pursued, the clinical signs that were mimicking depression should resolve.

How to Treat Canine Depression

Treatment of canine depression often involves the use of anti-anxiety medication along with behavioral management. 

The cost of seeing a behavior specialist can range from $300-$800, depending on the services that they provide in addition to the initial consultation. 

A behaviorist will recommend a treatment plan that is tailored to your dog. This may involve teaching coping mechanisms for dealing with fears and phobias, or recommending certain exercises or bonding activities for your family and your dog.

In addition to medication therapy and working with a canine behaviorist, there are some steps pet owners can take to help improve their dog’s quality of life at home. These include:

• Providing 15-20 minutes of exercise daily with walks or play time
• Enriching your dog’s environment with puzzle toys and mental stimulation
• Spending more time with your dog (talking to him, petting him, grooming, etc.)

Sometimes depression can improve on its own, with time. However, it can take several months to resolve. The dog may experience a poor quality of life in the interim. He may have a higher level of stress, weight loss, and possibly experience muscle atrophy, if the depression does not improve. 

It is best to intervene early to break the cycle of depression in dogs.

Medication for Depression in Dogs

The most common medications used to treat depression in dogs are human antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCA). Pet owners should not give their pets these medications unless instructed by a veterinarian to do so.  

The most commonly used SSRIs used to treat depression in dogs are: 

•     Fluoxetine (generic Prozac)
•     Paroxetine (generic Paxil) 
•     Sertraline (generic Zoloft)

These medications increase the serotonin level in a dog’s brain, which helps modulate mood and behavior. They usually need to be given for 4-6 weeks before seeing an effect or improvement in mood. These medications are dispensed in capsule or tablet form and given to dogs once daily. The general cost is approximately $10-$50 per month.

The most common TCA used in dogs is clomipramine or Clomicalm.  

This medication modulates serotonin and norepinephrine receptors to reduce anxiety in dogs. This medication takes 4-6 weeks to take effect and is typically given twice daily to reduce gastrointestinal upset. 

Clomicalm is a flavored chewable tablet. The general cost is approximately $40-$100 per month.

How to Prevent Depression in Dogs

Depression is a complicated condition, and it cannot always be prevented in dogs. Certain life changes or circumstances may cause your dog to feel sadness or stress. But ensuring that your dog is medically healthy, active, and enriched may help prevent the onset of depression. 

Pet parents should exercise their dogs daily, going on walks together or dedicating time to play. Keep these activities new and engaging by switching up walking routes or incorporating new toys. Continuing to teach your dog new cues and tricks can keep him mentally stimulated. 

Additionally, you can provide new and interesting smells in your home to enrich your dog’s environment and keep it exciting. Sheep wool or rabbit fur might be welcome scents for your dog, or you can purchase deer musk from hunting supply stores.  

If your dog is not fearful of the car, take rides to expose your dog to new sights and sounds. This can keep his mind active and engaged. 

In addition to staying active and using enrichment tools, it’s important to take your dog to see a veterinarian for annual check-ups. During his appointment, your vet will ask you questions about his mood and behavior and look for any underlying medical conditions that could be causing pain, discomfort, or stress. Yearly veterinary visits can help catch potential issues early and may help your dog avoid depression. 

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