Animal Science

After four months apart, my English setter Freckles was reunited with her mother and sister. They sniffed noses for about five seconds and immediately began to play. They ran and wrestled outdoors as if they'd never been separated. I was curious - do dogs recognize family members?

A study from the Cornell University College of Veterinary medicine showed that dogs likely recognize family members. They prefer to approach littermates to strange dogs. This is true even if the littermates have been separated for months.

Kinship Recognition

The ability to differentiate between a close genetic relative and a non-relative is known as kin recognition. Studies have shown two theories of how animals recognize relatives:

• Recognition gene
• Experiential mechanism

There is no evidence to suggest that recognition is based on genes in mammals. Most studies show that kin in dogs are recognized by various factors depending on the relationship. For example, mothers might use different cues to recognize their offspring than siblings would to recognize one another.

Recognition may be based on phenotypes (observable characteristics). The Cornell study showed that dogs are friendliest to others with a similar genome - which can translate to coloring. The English setters in my example are obviously visually different from the beagle that was also wandering around. It's likely that animals can learn the phenotypes of relatives early on in life.

Some species use olfactory (scent) cues to differentiate relatives from strangers. Mothers are often able to identify their offspring within a short period of time by learning their scent. One study showed that puppies recognize littermates and prefer them to other pups. It seems likely that the chemical cues of smell play a role in recognition between animals that spend so much time together before they can even see.

Kin Selection

Kin recognition can help ward off inbreeding. This theory was confirmed in certain plants that will not be fertilized by a gene-sharing plant. Recognition may also contribute to the survival of the animal's relatives. Familiar, related animals may warn each other of danger (ensuring survival), provide preferential treatment in the form of food or behaviors, or even help each other find mates.

So did my dog recognize her family? The three setters almost completely ignored the beagle that was also in the yard. It's true that she's older and was more interested in sniffing than playing, but she didn't get a second glance after the three relatives were reunited. Freckles, my dog, played much more than she usually does. I'm pretty sure they recognized each other but it's probably worth a few more visits in the future to observe them. Until then, maybe they can learn to use texting as a way to keep in touch!

Resources:

People for Animals: Animals can Recognize their Family Members

PLOS One: Odor-Based Recognition of Familiar and Related Conspecifics: A First Test Conducted on Captive Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti)

PubMed.gov: Developmental aspects of kin recognition. (Abstract)

Walk the Dog: The methods dogs use to communicate with their own species

Wikipedia: Kin recognition

Wikipedia: Kin selection

woofreport: Dogs Can Sniff Out Family From Friends

The crocuses in my yard began popping up at the end of February. By early March, they were blooming, over a month earlier than usual. I worried that a snowfall would harm them but the lone snowstorm we had at the end of February quickly melted. Now some of my other spring bulbs are popping up. They do not typically appear until April.

How do a mild winter and early spring affect animals and plants? Most people I know are enjoying and taking advantage of temperatures between 50-70ºF. It's usually about 20-40ºF colder at this time. While humans may love a break from the harsh winters of the northeastern U.S., the warmth may not be a good thing for some species.

Insects

Some insects benefit from a mild winter while others suffer. The Asian ladybug is beneficial to gardeners because it feeds on aphids. They emerge from hibernation early when the weather is warm and if there are no aphids to feed on, they starve.

A species of butterfly called Mormon fritillary are suffering from a lack of food. Early snow melts in the Colorado Rocky Mountains are killing wildflowers. The flowers bud early in warmer temperatures and then are killed by snow melt or fall. The butterflies are left without a food source when the nectar is gone. This in turn causes the butterflies to lay fewer eggs. If the cycle repeats every year, species decline.

Animals

Some animals will emerge from hibernation with higher-than-usual fat stores. This can lead to increased reproduction and a larger population. In cases of so-called nuisance animals, like raccoons and groundhogs, this is not necessarily a good thing.

Bird migration can happen earlier with an early spring. This can hurt birds over the long term. If birds arrive at breeding grounds too early, they risk trying to survive in winter conditions. Death and decreased egg production are two potential consequences. They can also struggle to find food sources as they move up to coast, for example.

Plants

• Maple trees that bloom early produce less sap. This leads to less and lower quality maple syrup.
• Apple trees have a shorter growing season and produce a smaller harvest when winters are mild. Buds can be damaged if there is a cold snap in the midst of an early spring.
• Plants may bloom and fade before insects are ready to pollinate them.
• Trees that bud early will have a longer pollen season. (Those who suffer from allergies to trees and weeds will in turn experience a longer sneezing season.)
• Growing zones are changing across the country. These affect when plants should be started outdoors and which plants can be planted.

This blog entry lists only a few of the species affected by an early spring. If spring has already sprung where you live, please share some of the unusual things you've noticed this year.

Resources

Ellwood City Ledger - Warm weather brings out better moods, but more bugs

Live Science: Spring Shows Earlier and Earlier for Many Plants, Animals

NPR: Can an early spring confuse nature's clock?

Our Amazing Planet: Early Spring is Bad News for Butterflies

The Province: Video: How early spring affects allergies

ScienceDaily: Climate Change, Increasing Temperatures Alter Bird Migration Patterns

Yahoo! Voices: Mild Winter and Early Spring May Have Consequences

Most of us know that dogs shouldn't be fed chocolate. Which other foods (and non-foods) are bad for dogs? Read on to find out. This will be a multi-part blog series exploring the things that are bad for dogs and other animals. Some entries will be lists of items; other entries will explain what happens if an animal ingests a certain substance. This blog series was inspired by a discussion in a blog entry about skin conditions in dogs.

Items That Are Toxic to Dogs

WebMD (the pets' version) has a cute slideshow of foods dogs should never eat. The list ranges from "who knew?" (avocados; raw meat) to "who would even consider it?" (chocolate; gum).

This list includes the toxic foods and medications that I found during my research:

• Alcohol
• Avocado
• Beer or Hops
• Bones of Fish or Chicken
• Candy
• Chemicals
• Chocolate
• Coffee or Tea
• Fatty Foods
• Fruit Pits or Seeds
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Gum
• Ibuprofen
• Macadamia Nuts
• Mushrooms
• Nutmeg
• Onions
• Peaches
• Persimmons
• Plums
• Raisins
• Raw Eggs, Meat, or Fish
• Soda
• Spoiled Food
• Tomatoes
• Xylitol (sugar-free sweetener)
• Yeast Dough

This list includes the toxic plants that I found during my research:

• Aloe Vera
• Azaleas
• Caladium
• Chrysanthemum
• Daffodils
• Dumbcane
• Elephant's Ear
• Emerald Fern
• Foxglove
• Green Potato
• Holly
• Hyacinth
• Ivy
• Lilies
• Mistletoe
• Morning Glory
• Nightshade
• Oak
• Philodendron
• Poinsettias
• Rhododentrum
• Tulips
• Weeping Fig
• Wisteria
• Yew

Can you add anything to this list?

The next part of this series will go into more detail about why dogs shouldn't have some of these items. There will be an explanation of what could happen to your pet and what you should do if certain things are eaten.

Resources:

Foods That Are Hazardous to Dogs

Poisonous Foods for Dogs

Poisonous Plants and Food for Dogs

Slideshow: Foods Your Dog Should Never Eat

What is toxic to dogs?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__WMecpTp03E/TVD21_F9c_I/AAAAAAAABok/kR_NXfe-f28/s320/toxic.jpg [image]

One of the things I remember from growing up near a lake is the strange and wonderful dragonflies that would land on my toes while I floated in the lake on my inner tube. They would stop to rest from their hunt for deer files, mosquitoes and other annoying insects. The beautiful colors and patterns were each unique and fascinating.

They are considered beneficial insects belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta Anisoptera. It sounds like the name of an Egyptian god or goddess. Dragonflies are referred to as Flying Jewels of New York in the "Conservationist" magazine article of June 2011.

The dragonfly has a large head with bulging eyes, strong jaws, a long narrow abdomen, six legs and 2 pairs of transparent wings. The motion that has been copied by the helicopter and plane is their ability to move up and down, forward and backward and side to side simply by rotating their wings.

To reproduce, they drop their eggs on the surface of the water. The dragonfly then goes through an immature aquatic stage that can last for several years. They only live a few months after they emerge as adults. For more on the stages, how long they live check out the Dragonfly Site.

And they migrate! At least some of them do. Based on data generated by tracking 14 green darner dragonflies with radio transmitters, Princeton scientists have found that migrating dragonflies and songbirds exhibit many of the same behaviors. Green darners are among up to 50 species of dragonflies thought to be migratory.

What can scientists and engineers learn from the dragonfly? The Australian National University is studying their triplet of eyes or ocelli. They are testing their eyes to find out how they contribute to their exceptional flight ability. See this link for more info: http://www.eurograduate.com/arch_article.asp?id=2431. If you Google 'dragonfly inspired technology', you will find many interesting links to wind turbines, robots and more.

I love the way nature is an inspiration for invention, new technologies and biomechanics. Hopefully water pollution and destruction of our wetlands will not cause us to lose too many of these beneficial insects. After all, they have been around for hundreds of millions of years.

Photo credits and reference:

http://www.worldmostamazingthings.com/2011/05/amazing-dragonfly-insect-dragonfly.html

Humans aren't the only ones who suffer from skin conditions - animals do, too. My new English setter's name (Freckles) suited her for another reason besides her coloring. She often has red, acne-like bumps on her underside. The veterinarian thought Freckles was suffering from a bacterial infection. Freckles was diagnosed with impetigo - a common form of pyoderma found in young puppies. When two rounds of antibiotics and keeping the area dry (no playtime near water) didn't help, it became important to learn more about this condition and how to take care of it.

Background

Back in December I brought home one of the puppies pictured in my blog entry about whelping boxes. At seven months old she's much bigger than she was in those pictures! Before it warms up and she starts to spend more time outdoors there is something we need to work on - clearing up her case of impetigo.

Freckles' main symptom is the patch of pustules that appears on her belly and between her hind legs. It seems to be worse when she is stressed out, gets wet, or licks the area. Wiping her with hydrogen peroxide seems to be the best way to keep the pustules at bay.

Diagnosis and Causes

Pyoderma is a bacterial skin infection that literally means "pus in the skin". The term covers several types of superficial bacterial infections including impetigo. Pyodermas are common in dogs and especially prevalent in English setters. One of the causes is wetness; the English setter is a bird hunting breed that often spends time in fields and swampy conditions.

Impetigo can cause the following signs and symptoms - usually on areas of hairless skin:

• Inflammation
• Lesions, pustules, or papules
• Hair loss
• Crusty skin or redness
• Itchiness

It is detected through skin scrapings, fungal cultures, Wood's lamp examinations, and bacterial cultures.

Examining smears of intact pustules is one way to determine the extent of an infection. This can determine if it is a fungal or bacterial infection. The type of infection helps determine the appropriate course of treatment as some types (such as Staphylococcus intermedius) are only helped by topical and oral antibiotics.

Treatment and Prevention

There are a few treatment options available including antibiotics and regular cleaning. Freckles received two antibiotic treatments - neither of which completely cleared up her pustules.

There are other methods that can be used to help clear up pustules:

• Special shampoos containing benzoyl peroxide. The shampoo must sit for several minutes before being rinsed off the animal. It's recommended to use this treatment several times per week.
• Hydrogen peroxide wiped on the site can help dry out the pustules. This is the method I use on Freckles. When she has a bad "break-out" we do this every day. For maintenance she is wiped down every other day.
• Triple antibiotic ointment can help soothe the irritation caused by pustules. Many dogs will try to lick it off. After I apply it to Freckles, she has to lie on the couch next to me and watch TV - this helps it work if only for a little while.
• Keep the hair in the affected area short. Long hair allows the trapping of debris and bacteria against the skin.

Resources:

Dog Breeds - Common Skin Problems on your Dog

eHow - Common Skin Problems in English Setters

medi-vet.com - Canine Pyroderma

The Merck Veterinary Manual - Pyoderma

Petside.com - Superficial Pyoderma (Canine)

A whelping box is a place where a dog can have her puppies. The puppies can begin to grow up in the box because it's a safe place. This blog entry will describe how a whelping box was created for an English setter and her six puppies.

A whelping box has several features that are important for keeping a mother dog and her puppies safe:

• A "doorway" or low side for the mother to step into and out of the box while the puppies are small.
• High sides to contain the puppies when they become more active.
• A guard rail (ledge) to prevent the mother from crushing the puppies against the walls. She can rest her back against the ledge; a puppy would be safe between her and the wall.
• The box must be large enough for the mother to lay down comfortably with the puppies in the box.

My father researched whelping boxes online and discovered that you can buy boxes or plans to build your own. He studied the plans posted on one website and made his own version. The whelping box he created for his English setter, Kasey, was 44 by 44 inches. This is what he did:

1. Sawed several boards into 44 inch lengths. Some were 12 inches wide and others were 7.5 inches wide.
2. Created four "posts" by cutting 2x4s in half. They were 26 inches long. The posts are high so more boards can be added as the puppies grow.
3. Assembled the boards as shown in the photo.

The box is resting on a piece of plastic, a piece of cardboard, and a blanket. The plastic is used so that the floor stays dry. The cardboard prevents the puppies from chewing on the plastic as they become bigger. The blanket keeps everyone a little more comfortable and is easy to remove and wash each day.

This whelping box is special because it can easily be broken down and reassembled for travel. When the puppies were just 10 days old they had to stay for a few days in a place about three hours away. Decking screws were used to make reassembly easy. (Plywood could have been used instead of separate boards.)

The puppies stayed in the whelping box until they were four weeks old; the box became too small as the puppies grew more active. My father removed one side of the box and connected it to a larger pen for the puppies to play in.

Resources:

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/how-to-build-a-whelping-box/page1.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whelping_box