Celebrating 150 Years of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show with Donald Sturz, WKC President & Show Chairman

In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus is joined by Dr. Donald Sturz, President and Show Chairman of the Westminster Kennel Club, as they celebrate a historic milestone: the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. With decades of experience as a handler, judge, and leader in the dog show world, Dr. Sturz offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most iconic events in American sporting history.

Topics include:

• Why the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is historically significant
• What happens behind the scenes at Westminster
• The role of junior showmanship and why it’s vital to the future of the sport
• How dog breed standards are developed
• Why dog shows should honor dogs as companions, not just competitors
• The history of Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
• How Dr. Sturz's background as a clinical psychologist informs his approach to leadership at Westminster
• How dogs, handlers, judges, and spectators experience the event

Also on this month’s show:

• Trending animal story about the heartwarming rescue of a lost sea otter pup 
• Animal news, including research showing urban raccoons may be showing early signs of domestication
• Pet Health Listener Q&A: Whether anesthesia is necessary for dental cleanings and x-rays; enrichment ideas for senior cats on prescription diets; and whether dogs should wear collars at all times

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Transcript

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We want to remind our listeners that this program is for informational and educational purposes only, and not intended to substitute for professional veterinary medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. The Animal Medical Center does not recommend or endorse any products or services advertised by Sirius XM. Welcome to Ask the Vet with Dr. Ann Hohenhaus. This is the place to talk about your pets and get advice for the top veterinarian from the Animal Medical Center in NYC. Hear from the leading authorities on animals and ask your questions. Now here's your host, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus. Hello everyone and welcome to Ask the Vet, the podcast for people who love their pets and want the latest in pet health and animal news. I'm your host, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus. I'm a senior veterinarian here at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, and I also serve as director of pet health information. Today, we're looking ahead to a milestone in the dog world. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is celebrating its 150th year. The sesquicentennial show begins January 31st with daytime events at the Javits Center, and for evening events, it moves to Madison Square Garden on February 2nd and three, with the Best in Show competition on February 3rd. To help us mark this historic year. I'll be joined by Doctor Donald Sturz, the president and show chairman of the Westminster Kennel Club. We'll talk about what's new for the 150th show. What goes on behind the scenes and why this event still matters for dogs and dog lovers everywhere. I'm really looking forward to our conversation because the Westminster Kennel Club Show is one of my most favorite work related activities to attend. The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center is the only level one veterinary trauma center in New York City. We have 115 years of being the very best place for your pet. If you're seeking advice on maintaining your pet's health. I'm here to help. Just send me your questions at ask the vet at amcny.org, and I'll answer your questions on next month's show. If you don't have a pen and pencil available, I'll give that email address later on in the show. And now it's time for our trending animal of the month. It's time for the internet's most talked about animal. The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, recently responded to an urgent call desperate, almost childlike cries were drifting across the waters of Morro Bay. The team at the center sprang into action, along with the Morro Bay Harbor patrol, and they soon discovered the source of the cries of a lost sea otter pup, only about two weeks old. At that age, a pup cannot fend for themselves, meaning the pups only hope of remaining in the wild depended on finding its mother. After safely scooping up the pup, whom they named caterpillar. The team devised a clever plan. They recorded little caterpillars cries, and played the audio from a speaker as they traveled along the coastline in a boat, and after a two hour search, a female otter approached, following the sound from side to side. As the team moved the speaker and observed her behavior. Once they were confident she was looking for her pup, the team lowered caterpillar into the water. She immediately gathered him up onto her chest, carefully inspected him, and after they confirmed the pair was safe and behaving normally, the team backed away, wishing them both long and happy lives. You can watch the heartwarming reunion by visiting the Marine Mammal Center's website at www.MarineMammalcenter.org. Now, if you're interested in marine mammals, then the center has education programs not only for veterinary health care workers, for zoo staff, but also youth, adults and families. And a shoutout to one of my colleagues from Cornell's Veterinary Teaching Academy who runs these wonderful programs. And now it's my pleasure to introduce today's guest, Doctor Donald Sturz. Doctor Sturz is president and show chairman of the Westminster Kennel Club, a role he assumed in 2023. After a lifetime in the sport, he began showing dogs at age ten and became a standout junior handler and was junior showmanship finalist at Westminster three times, later ranking as the nation's number one junior handler for three straight years. He's trained in exhibited in multiple AKC venues, and has judged major dog shows worldwide since 1990, including being Best in Show judge at Westminster in 2022, and he was named judge of the year in 2020. Outside the ring, Doctor Sturz is a clinical psychologist and a retired suburban school district superintendent. Doctor Sturz, welcome to Ask the Vet and thank you so much for joining me. Oh, thanks for having me. And I'm happy to be here. So I always ask my guests to start, tell me about your pets, what animals are in your home now? Well, and hopefully they'll behave themselves and not interrupt the interview. But I have four dogs that are at home. We have a Frenchie named Emmett who's ten and a half years old. We have a bull terrier named Lola. She's six and a half. We have a Pekinese named Fiona who's actually been to Animal Medical Center. She's two years old, and I have a new Pekinese puppy named Scottie who's been taking the show scene by storm. He is only ten months old. He's already a champion, and he's the youngest Pekinese to ever win an all breed best in show. So, we got quite a menagerie here in Brooklyn. So, are your two peaks related? They are. I have actually. Scott is, sired by wasabi, who is the famous peak who won Best in Show at Westminster. And, wasabi is the brother of Fiona's mother. So they are, she's his. And, so you started showing dogs at a really young age. What do you remember about that first time you went into the show showroom? Well, you know, this, this all started. I mean, I have to thank my sister, because she had a significant fear of dogs and my parents thought the best way to help her to get past that was to get a dog. And the family next door had a golden retriever, and they asked what breeder they had gotten their golden retriever from. And my parents contacted those individuals, and we got our first golden retriever shares, and the breeders invited us to what was called a puppy match, kind of a casual, fun outing. And they would have, you know, kind of this practice dog show. And so they encouraged, you know, me to take the puppy in the ring. And so they put a show lead on them and just said, just do what the judge tells you to do. Just, you know, they'll you'll be fine. And, you know, went in the ring with us and, you know, ran around and did what we were told. You know, it would be wonderful. The story was he won, but he didn't win. You could say that we would not know the difference. But I would. I will say is, is the, I got such a thrill from it. I remember loving the kind of the connection that, you know, started being created between him and I in that moment. That was very different from when we would play like that was the first kind of, you know, remember, I was eight years old. And so it was like the first time of, like having you know, holding this leash and and having interaction with the puppy and getting the puppy to do things in a certain way as they were being directed to do and and seeing it start to happen. And I and I came out of the ring feeling really good about that and, and having felt a new connection to us. And I wanted to do it more. And so my parents, you know, thought that was a really great activity. And we and we went to more match shows and we ended up getting another golden retriever that was more so, shall we say, competitive, more show quality. Sherriff was like a was our starter dog. And, I learned how to do everything on sheriff. I learned how to groom on sheriff. So he was very often had, you know, one side looked a lot better than the other. Learn as I went on. But we got a second golden retriever named copper, and she was the start of it all. She was our family's first champion. And she was the first female for my parents. And she, you know, produced a number of champions. And and it and it went from there. And I will say to this day, you know, I shared with you about Scott and him starting out, even after having been on this journey and having experienced tremendous success and lots of different, you know, aspects of the sport, the the experience of having a new puppy and, and training them and raising them and establishing that bond and and helping them to become, you know, their best selves. You know, as far as that's what I try to do with the show, dog is is not get in their way, let them shine. And, I still love that. It's what floats my boat and, you know, and, and I and I often say to people, I feel like, well, if you had to make a choice, think of all the things that you do in the sport and you had to pick one and you and you wouldn't be allowed to do any of the other things anymore. I would still pick, sewing a puppy. So I think I know a little bit about the answer to this question, but I want to hear it from you. And that is how do the junior showmanship competitions differ from what I see as a spectator watching on TV, at home, on the sofa and the night of Best in Show? Sure. So you know, when you're watching, you know, Westminster on TV, you're seeing the confirmation classes and the judge there is judging the dogs on their conformation qualities. Right. How how closely, they match the ideal described in each breed standard. And and which dogs in the best condition and having the best night, you know, the best performance and so on. In junior showmanship, the focus and the emphasis is solely on the junior's handling abilities. And are they, do they have a do they have a good connection with their dog? Are they presenting the dog in a breed specific way? You know, whenever I judge junior showmanship, I look for that. I look for the child who almost disappears. The child who. Who presents the dog. Not themselves. And and that's a skill, you know, to be able to to handle a dog in a way that you almost become invisible. And that's that's that's kind of what it's about. Is junior showmanship breed based? No, actually, children will compete in classes, all the Brits coming together. And, so you would be in the ring and say, when I was showing my golden retriever, I had friends who showed whippets and vehicles and poodles and so on, and it was a great experience because kids get to be exposed to lots of different breeds of dogs. And I think the more you know about other breeds, the more you're able to truly understand the essence of your own breed and the things that make each of those breed special and unique. And so I thought it it was a great, preparation for me, you know, I didn't know where my path would take me. But, you know, as a judge, I think those early days of having all of that broad, multi breed experience through junior showmanship really served me well. And if you look at on the Westminster Kennel Club website and you look at the pictures of junior showmanship, it's very happy kids with a lot of different kinds of dogs and, and so that that to me is is the big difference is that that they're they're learning to be handlers, not learning a specific a breed where, you know, lots of times, you go to the show and you'll see handlers who year after year show the same breed because they're really good with that breed of dog. So junior showmanship, I think is is something that a lot of people don't probably know too much about because sadly, it doesn't get a lot of press because you guys got a lot of breeds to cram into an evening's worth of TV. Yeah. And it's one of those things that, you know, I've, I've worked hard to try to, change that, bit and that, you know, we really lean into, celebrating our juniors through our social media and, and through our, you know, press coverage and even to the extent of I was able to get although not be able to get it on the live broadcast, but I have been able to get it so that it's part of our live streaming platform. So the junior championship finals and the Junior showmanship preliminaries during the day are all able to be viewed on, our, our live streaming. So that's that's been a significant change. So I'm really happy about that. Oh, that sounds wonderful to be able to see the next generation of of handlers, live or at least in motion. Yeah. Because that's the future, right? That's always the future of any. And the future of our sport right there. So you've done it all with dogs. You've been in the showroom as a handler. You've judged best in show, and now you're the leader of the Westminster Kennel Club. Okay. What's it like to see this event from all these perspectives. Well, and I think it's, you know, one of those moments, you know, sometimes you hit those moments in life where you feel like all your paths have converged into one place. And I think that's where I'm at right now. I, I think this has, really kind of pulled from all of my life experiences, both within the dog world, but also in my professional life and, you know, taking this knowledge of the sport, having participated in the sport from all these different perspectives, but also as a leader, bringing in my experience, you know, as a school administrator and then also, you know, those skills that come along with being a psychologist and understanding how you know, how how people work. So, I, I think that in the planning of the event, I often say to our team, we want to think about the event from all the different perspectives, meaning, you know, it's number one are the dogs and the exhibitors. Everything is done in the service of making that a wonderful, you know, experience for them. You know, we want to keep them happy and comfortable. And while taking care of the, you know, in addition to that, you know, we have our judges, we have our spectators, we have our club members, we have our sponsors, we have everyone's got a different journey and their experience at Westminster. And so our team actually thinks each of those journeys out and plans for each of those different journeys, so that everyone who comes to Westminster, no matter what path they're on, that they experience it in, in the most wonderful way. And I think that's, I think that's a I coming directly from my own experience, coming from so many different perspectives. Well, so my perspective as a exhibitor sometimes and as a spectator other times is the Javits Center is so much more comfortable than the the back rooms of the garden ever used to be. I understand that garden is a magical place. You know, it's it's an icon in New York and in the sporting world. But it was just too crowded back there. And so, it was so much nicer at the Javits Center last year. And there's room for everyone to come and see the beautiful dogs that there are to be seen in, and talk to people who own the dogs and meet wonderful animals that you've never seen before. This morning we were talking about Looney Tunes, and I said, okay, a trivia question for today. What's the dog? That's the puffin hunting dog. And people are like, they're protected. No one hunts puffins. And I said, I'm sorry, but there is a puffin hunting dog. And so then that was a challenge everyone had of the day was was for that dog. So it's it's it's just a wonderful opportunity to see all these great dogs that you may be heard of, but you would never see walking around on the streets of your neighborhood or even in New York City. Yeah. So true. And we, the entries just closed, on November 21st, and I just got an entry breakdown and, I'm happy to say, and this is like, this is news happening right in the moment. We are able to say that we, you know, definitely exceeded our limit because we limit our so to 2500 champions. We far exceeded that in the entries. And, we have every single breed that's eligible to compete is represented. This year, which is doesn't always happen because there is a random selection component, a part of the entry system. And so some years we don't have every breed. This year we do, and we have, people coming from each of the 50 states. In addition, Puerto Rico and from 20 other foreign countries, we have dogs coming to compete. So it's pretty, pretty exciting. I love those statistics. So well, one statistic you didn't give is how many breeds are there eligible to compete? 212. So they're going to it's going to be speed Dog showing on Monday and Tuesday evening to get through 212. Dogs. That's a lot of dogs to go through. Yeah. It's it is, it's like, it's much like, I think choreographing a musical, actually making sure that it all gets, gets that's done, that everybody gets on stage and off stage in time for the next number. So I want to go back to your big celebration this year because it is the 150th Westminster Dog show. So, is this the oldest sporting event in the United States? Westminster is the second longest continuously running sporting event, second only to the Kentucky Derby by one year. Oh, that was that. Must hurt. But it is it is quite a distinction and you know, and along with that, you know, I think the notion of putting that history right, 150 years, you know, putting the dog show in the context of New York City history, you know, US history, world history and all the things that were happening. Each of those years that under other circumstances, may have caused an event not to go on. Westminster persevered every single year, whether there were world wars, whether it was depression, whether there was severe weather, Covid, Westminster found a way and and I think that that says a lot about, you know, the legacy of the event. You know, I always refer to it as a legacy brand, but it's it because it is and it's it's got, you know, deep roots and, I think it's become, you know, not only important to the sport, but I think it's a part of, of our culture. And, I'm really proud of that. So where was the first show? Do you know the first dog show happened at Gilmore Gardens? And so that was like, the precursor to what we know is Madison Square Garden. And so another interesting trivia question is, is, you know, Westminster has the distinction of being one of the very few events that has actually occurred in every version of Madison Square Garden. We're now in the fourth version, and there are not many that can claim that. Now, why do you know why it's called Westminster, Idaho? So the the story goes, there was a group of sporting gentlemen who used to get together, as they do to, you know, tell stories about their hunting adventures with their dogs and, and at one point, it came to them that they should organize a club that, you know, made this official, you know, that they that they were an entity and they were meeting at the Westminster Hotel in Manhattan. And that's where the name came from, was the place where they were meeting. So the Westminster Kennel Club, and is since this evolved from gentlemen who hunted with dogs, is that how you have a hunting dog as your mascot on your logo? That's exactly right. You know, the logo features a pointer named sensation, which, oddly enough, his call name was Don. So that's, Beside, that's something that I kind of, kind of hold dear. I think that's kind of wonderful, but, sensation, you know, was one of the first dogs that this group of gentlemen, you know, imported, as, you know, one of their dogs in their kennel. And he became the logo for the organization and remained so. Yeah. So it dates right back to the beginning. So just so our listeners understand a term that doctor stirs used, you said called name most dogs most show dogs have a name, with as many components to it as the king of England does. And the castle name is what the family calls the dog. So, can you give me an example of one of your dogs, like its real name and its call name? Sure. Let's say, So Lola the bull terrier, her registered name is, action classic starlet at Alaric Action. And Alaric being the two breeders that co bred her and classic starlet being from the theme of the litter, which was names that all featured the word star. But at home she's just Lola. Yeah, that's what I mean. These names are really complicated, and they often have a history or meaning in the background of that name. And, and very frequently litters have themes. Yes. And whether it's a is your first litter in the B names or your second litter, but it might be other other kinds of themes. Correct. So that's, that's what, Doctor Stowers means when he says the car name. It's what you call the pet, but it's not their real name. So Westminster Kennel Club Show is two years older than the light bulb. Now, that's that's a real interesting little tidbit. Yeah, it's still vibrant and relevant. And light bulbs have changed a whole lot. How do you balance your tradition with the innovation? And you hit the nail on the head. That's that really is what I view as as the main responsibility for me. I know as the president and the search here is to strike that balance between, you know, paying homage to tradition and the legacy while at the same time keeping the event relevant and moving forward into the future. And so, you know, it's, it's a constant, review of everything. You know, I, I review every piece of social media that goes out. And that's one of the lenses that I look at it through is, you know, is it is it being respectful of Westminster's, you know, history and tradition while at the same time engaging a new or younger audience. And, and sometimes that's not always so easy, but, I think we're doing a good job. You know, we're doing really, really well on social media. I think we've we've kind of found the, the neck for that. And, and that's pretty much drives everything that we do at this point is just that, you know, in order for the event to remain viable for another 150 years, just as the light bulb, right, had to change and evolve over time to meet society's needs and change and the changes that were occurring that, you know, were impacted by that, Westminster has to look at it similarly. And and that's what we do on a regular basis here. So the average person in the United States never gets the opportunity to go to the Westminster Kennel Club Show. And they really only see it on TV. You know, everyone's not as lucky as I am to live in New York. And and I've been multiple times. So what would surprise people that they don't see on TV? That happens at the show? I think probably the, the, the biggest thing is that they're seeing the performance right when they watch TV, much like I was very referring to before that, you know, it's it's the choreography of that is like a Broadway musical. They're seeing the stage performance, but what they so they see these dogs in this competition being presented at their very best. And I think sometimes people forget that although they are so dogs, they're also someone's pet. And what you would see behind the scenes would be all of the things that each of those people watching at home typically do with their own dogs, as far as keeping them comfortable and, and and keeping them happy and, you know, snuggling and cuddling and treats and toys and all those sorts of things. Those are all part of a show dogs life. You know, Scotty, when I take him out to shows, I'm still connecting and engaging with him the same way I engage with him at home. And and that's on purpose. You know, you want to make the dog show just an extended activity of their life. It's not their entire lives. And so I think that's probably the most important thing is to remember when you're looking at these amazing show dogs, remember that they are somebody's pet and they should hug the dog that's on the couch with them, as if they're are Westminster show dog because they're just as important. I'm sure that their dog at home on the sofa could be a show dog. Absolutely, because the dogs that are on the sofa just as wonderful as the beautiful dogs you have at the show. Although I do absolutely adore how beautiful those dogs are. You know, here at the Animal Medical Center, we see wonderful dogs. They they're just not always at their best when they come to see us. And so it's a big treat for me to see the dogs in person at the show who are at their very best. Because I, I don't always get to see dogs like that. So it's a special treat for me to get to go to the show. So we're talking here about appearances of dogs. And some people have a misconception that dog shows are only about a pretty face. What do you wish people understood about the standards for dogs in the show ring? As I mentioned earlier, the standard I like to refer to it as like the blueprint for a breed, and that it gives you all of the dimensions and all of the details and so on that go into making an excellent representative of that breed. And that blueprint is always based on the breed's, intended function and the breeds history. And so for me, what I've always enjoyed is learning that about the different breeds, you know, what were they originally bred to do? What do they currently do? As you know, a companion and their conformation, their structure, their proportions, their coat texture, the the size and shape of their ears, the the way they carry their tail, each of their, these breeds. There's a reason for all of those things that relates to the job that they were meant to do. And so even a breed that was meant to just be a companion dog, those dogs still needed to be physically functional, right? They needed to be able to, you know, move about the home and follow the owner around the home. And they had to have certain cosmetic details that made them pleasing to look at. So the eyes are a certain shape and color and so on. There's a reason for everything. And and so when you're when you're thinking about getting a dog and thinking about whether a breed is a good fit for you, I think that's always good to get a sense of like, well, what were they? What were they actually bred to do? Because a lot of these dogs retain those instincts even to today, even if they're not still actively used in that way. And so, say, a breed that was intended to be a herding dog will probably be a little bit more independent and may need a little bit more attention to having a job to do throughout the day, as opposed to, say, my Pekinese, who's, you know, more or less a companion animal who's used to, you know, being catered to and, and, just kind of hugged and cuddled a lot. So I think that's what's important here is, is to, you know, kind of see what would be a good fit for you based on that. And when the judges are looking at these dogs in the ring, they're thinking about that just as much. Construction when they're moving, when they're getting, it's not just, oh, how how prettily they do it, but do they do it in a way that's functional and efficient? But you want the dog to move with, cover the most ground with the least amount of effort. And they can only do that if they're built correctly. Are they moving in the way that they would move? Is it reflective of the way that they would move when they're doing their job? And so things like that. So there's a lot more that that's going on in the assessment of these dogs beyond just looking pretty. So I'm going to be bold here and ask a question about a breed that's not probably judge. So for the listeners, judges have to be certified to judge certain breeds, and they have to be certified to judge groups, and they have to be certified to be a judge for Best in Show. You just don't walk out there and say, I like this dog. That's not how it works. So I'm going to ask a question about poodles. Which I don't know if you're a poodle certified to judge or not, I am. Okay, perfect. So what about that poodle haircut? Like, how did that poodle haircut evolve from a functional standpoint? They got poofs all over the place. What were those poofs for? I love that question. And, so actually, poodles is a breed that I was had a lot of involvement with. I actually got my first inner poodle when I was 13. And, it got very involved in that breed, and I have judged it for a long time. I've judged their national twice. I'll be judging it for the third time next year. And what's really wonderful about understanding that trim that you see is that it really, truly was functional for the standard poodle. As a retriever, they were originally used as a water retriever, and to this day are still really good at it if if people give them a chance to do so. And so if you think about it, the body coat is meant to cover the, the lungs, the hearts, the organs. Right. So it's keeping all of that warm. They then clip the legs to free up the legs to be able to run and swim. And then those the, the pompoms that you're talking about are around all the joints. So that's why you see pompoms on the front legs, around the pasta urns on the rear, legs, around the hawk joints, and also on the hip joints up top. And then the pom pom on the end of the tail is there. And if you notice they clip the legs right to there. They are free of hair, frees them up. The pom pom on the end of the tail was there, so they could tie a ribbon to it, so that they could see the dog when they were out in the field and high grass. And so there, there really was a purpose and a function. Now when they're doing that, it's obviously, a much shorter cut than what you'll see in the ring. And the ring. It's much more stylized and glamorized, for sure, but that was the original purpose of that trim. Such a great deal about the poodle haircut, I love that. So you're also a clinical psychologist. In addition, to being a dog lover, dog show or dog judge. How does that influence your thinking with your dogs and how people have a relationship with their dogs? Well, I think, you know, my, my experience as a psychologist was, specifically focused on working with children and adolescents and their families, and I've since retired from, from that clinical role. But I would say, you know, understanding and, you know, and being more of a cognitive behaviorist, in my, ideology, I would say that I think that's helped me with regards to understanding behavior and why it occurs and why it continues to occur and how you can change behavior and so on. So I think it serves me well and, and how I work with my dogs or helping others work with their dogs. And I think it also helps me understand how the people who I'm engaging with, as far as you know, their behaviors, their emotional reactions and, and that, you know, being able to put it in the context of, like, why is that happening? And, and trying to understand it from that perspective and giving people some grace sometimes. Right, that, you know, the behavior, you know, is serving a purpose for them. That maybe not is not serving me so well in that moment, but, understanding where it's coming from. So, so this has been a fascinating conversation and I'm so happy to have my poodle haircut question answered. Finally. I've been wondering about that for years. So I want to thank Doctor Donald Sturz, who is the head of Westminster Kennel Club. We're all looking forward so much to seeing your beautiful dogs at the Javits Center during the day at Madison Square Garden at night, or on TV if you can't come to New York City and I'll look forward to seeing you there myself. I can't wait to go. I look forward to seeing you there as well. And thanks so much for having me say this. Oh, you're you're very welcome. If you have a question about your pets health. So don't forget to email me at our Ask the Vet email. It's really easy to remember it's ask the vet at amcny.org, and I'll answer your question on next month's show. We're going to take a short break now, and when we come back, it'll be time for the animal news. We're back with Dr. Ann Hohenhaus. on Ask the Vet. Hello everyone, and welcome back to Ask the Vet. It's time for today's animal news. It's time for animal headlines, the biggest animal news from across the world. Our first news story today is about a study that suggests raccoons living in cities may be taking early steps towards domestication. Researchers at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock found that urban raccoons are developing physical changes, including slightly shorter snouts, compared to raccoons in rural areas. The study challenges the idea that domestication begins only when humans intentionally breed animals. Instead, the researchers say the process can start much earlier, when wild animals get comfortable living around people and benefiting from the human environment. In this case of the raccoons helping themselves to our trash, animals that can tolerate being near humans without posing a threat tend to have an advantage. Since cities offer easy and reliable food sources over the course of time, calmer animals do better and those behavioral changes can come with physical ones. Scientists call this the domesticated chicken syndrome, and it includes traits such as shorter faces, smaller heads, changes, and coat color. One leading theory ties these traits to early developmental cells known as neural crest cells. To investigate whether raccoons are starting to show these kinds of changes, the research team analyzed nearly 20,000 photos of raccoons from across the United States. And they found that city raccoons had snouts about 3.5% shorter than those living further from human activity. An early hint that some wildlife may be evolving differently as they adapt to life among us. Now, if you're really interested in reading more about how evolution occurs, you should pick up a copy of a book called beak of the Finch, which is a fascinating read and talks about finches in the Galapagos Islands that are evolving as we speak even today. Our second story is good news, and it's about insect eating birds in France. These birds may actually be on the road to recovery following the European Union's 2018 ban on neonicotinoids, one of the most commonly used pesticides. Bird populations have increased by about 2 to 3%, and the theory is that decreasing pesticide use increases the food source of these insect eating birds. This rise may seem small to you, but scientists say it's an encouraging sign that recovery of bird populations is possible, and this information could help guide future conservation efforts. Collecting this data, though, was no easy feat. Volunteer ornithologists with the French Breeding Bird Survey visited more than 1900 sites across France between 2013 and 2018. And they repeated that again in 2019 to 2022. Keeping tabs on 57 different bird species. And while their data reflects only local bird populations, researchers hope that other insect eating animals like bats and even fish might be seeing similar benefits from the pesticide ban. Neonicotinoids are still widely used in the United States, and they contribute to the decline of local bird populations and raise a host of health concerns for both humans and wildlife. Some states are beginning to take action. For example, the passing of birds and Bees Protection Act in 2023 will ban the use of these pesticides on lawns and gardens starting in 2027. In New York State, it will take several years before we can evaluate the impact of the ban. But based on this data from France, our hopes are high for improvement in our bird populations. And finally, our third story has something good about A.I. rather than the gloom and doom about the impact on the job market. Pet owners know the panic that sets in when their dog or cat goes missing, and it happens a lot. About 10 million pets are reported lost in the United States each year. A free online tool called Petco Love Lost, run by Pet Cost nonprofit ARM, is helping reunite lost pets with their families using AI. The service uses facial recognition to match photos of lost pets, with animals listed by shelters, rescues and community members. Its database draws from more than 3000 shelters nationwide. Plus neighborhood networks like Nextdoor and Ring's Neighborhood app. The AI scans use hundreds of visual details like eye shape, whiskers and coat markings to find the best matches. Even among pets that look very similar. Owners can upload a photo of their missing pet, and if the pet has a microchip, that number can be added to. Microchips are still the gold standard for identification of lost pets. But image matching can help when a chip can't be traced or information is out of date. Petco love says the tool has helped reunite more than 100,000 pets with their families. They also remind pet owners that lost pet situations can attract scammers, especially online, so they recommend keeping communications on the site, avoiding any requests for money, and verifying details before meeting anyone. Petco Love Lost is free and available nationwide at Petco love.org, backslash, lost and one word of advice to pet owners is keep a current photo of your pet's face on your phone, not just the cute videos of what they're doing, but an actual nice headshot so that if your pet does go missing, you have something to upload at Petco Love Lost website. And now it's time for questions from our listeners. Our first question today is from Laura. Oh. Laura asks. My dog Sally has a red ring along her gums. Are vet recommends doing anesthesia for dental X-rays, a deep cleaning, and possibly extractions all in one procedure. It feels like a big step. Is that standard or are there other options we should try first? So Sally's owner has a concern that many pet owners have, and that is about dental procedures for their pets. But the recommendation that Sally's owner is getting is absolutely the standard of care. Veterinarians can't do a full exam of a dog or cat mouth without general anesthesia, and anesthesia allows them to probe under the gums for any pockets of periodontal disease that need to be treated and managed. They also. The general anesthesia also allows you to do dental X-rays and then remove any teeth that are obsessed or have other problems that require their extraction. So while I agree, it seems like a big procedure compared to what we might get for dentistry, remember we don't have to be enough. Sometimes we just have to sit in that chair and hold our mouth open for what seems to be forever. And so I think your vet has made the standard recommendation for Sally, and I think it would be a good one to proceed with. Best of luck to both you and Sally. Our next question comes from Paulina are and Paulina asks, how can I enrich the life of my 16 year old cat Masha, who is very food motivated but not interested in play, and who can only eat a prescription hydrolyzed protein diet? She's on steroids and seems hungry all the time, and I want to give her comfort and variety in her senior years without compromising her health. We've had success, adding small amounts of plain boiled zucchini and romaine as safe treats, but I'd love other enrichment ideas or diet compatible options for her and our other cat, who's 12 and is also on a strict diet. So first, let me tell you what a hydrolyzed protein diet is. Protein is made up of little subunits called amino acids, and they're hooked together in a certain order to create different proteins. A hydrolyzed diet is a diet where the protein is broken up into its little amino acid components. And for some pets with intestinal disease, that makes the food much more tolerable and decreases their vomiting and diarrhea. But giving treats to these pets, as Paulina knows, is very difficult because regular treats do not contain hydrolyzed protein usually, so it's impossible for me without knowing anything about Masha other than she's on a hydrolyzed diet to make a recommendation for other treats. And so I have to suggest the Paulina talks to her veterinarian about what other kinds of treats might be appropriate for Masha and Masha's friend. The other thing to consider would be what we call feeding toys. And these might be puzzle toys where you hide the hydrolyzed diet in the toy. So the cat gets entertained by figuring out the puzzle to get the food, or using something called a lick mat, which is a little silicone mat with grooves and lines in it that the food hooks into. And then your cat has to work a little harder than normal to get their food. And that works. Those lick mats work very well with canned food. So I would suggest changing up how Masha is fed rather than changing the food, and then check with your veterinarian about what the appropriate kind of treat would be for this special needs cat. And our last question today comes from Morgan S. And the question is my 11 month old dog wears a flat collar all the time, even indoors. My friend has two dogs and takes their collars off as soon as they get home from the walk. Do you recommend that dogs wear collars 24/7, or are there specific times they should be removed for safety or skin coat health? I've heard conflicting advice, so I think the reason that Morgan is hearing conflicting advice is perhaps because different dogs have different living situations. So here in New York City, dogs have to get out of the apartment on the elevator, go downstairs, get past the front door, man to get out of the building. And so they don't have a big risk of escaping into the street or into the yard. And so maybe people who live in apartments take their dogs collar off because they don't need that collar for identification because they aren't going to escape. But if you have a dog who lives in a house that has a front door and a back door and a backyard and a door, somebody that comes to the door and rings the buzzer and your dog can slip out. That dog maybe needs a collar all the time, because we know that dogs and cats who wear collars are more readily identified than dogs, even with microchips. So a dog or cat can never lose its microchip because it's implanted. But if I find a dog on the street, I've got to take it to a facility with a microchip reader. And that delays reuniting the pet with its owner. And your dog has a collar on. I can just phone you up and say, hey, I found your dog. Can you come pick it up? If the collar slips off, you've always got that microchip as a backup. So I think, I don't know, a medical reason that a dog needs its collar off when it comes home, but it may just be that the owners don't like the jangle of the collar or the pet doesn't really like the collar and scratches that are the lot. But I don't think there's a medical reason the collar needs to come off, and some dogs might, for safety reasons, need always to wear their collar. So, Morgan, I hope that helps you figure out what to do with your pet's collars. And now we're going to take a short break. And when we come back, there'll be news from the AMC's Usdan Institute. We're back with Dr. Ann Hohenhaus.on Ask the Vet. Hi, and welcome back to Ask the Vet. And now it's time for important information from AMC's Usdan Institute for Animal Health Education. As we move through the holiday season, AMC's Usdan Institute would like to share a few important reminders about keeping pets safe. First, the familiar ones keep pets away from holiday foods, especially fatty meats, chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions and garlic, and alcohol. A big reminder no bones at all. Cooked or raw, they can splinter and cause obstructions. And just this week, AMC has already taken two bones out of dogs that got into some holiday festivities when they shouldn't have. Now for a few hidden holiday hazards, look out for lithium button batteries. They're in toys, remotes, and even some animated decorations. They can cause serious burns if chewed or swallowed. Watch out for those gifts wrapped underneath the tree, especially if they contain food. Dogs will sniff out a snack right through the packaging and may eat the whole thing. Gift wrap, ribbon and all. Keep an eye on your houseguests bags and purses. They often contain gum with xylitol, chocolate, or medications that a curious pet can find in a split second and open the container and help themselves. And finally, with all the comings and goings this time of year, pets could easily slip out of an open door before anyone realizes it. And as our earlier listener asked if this be a time of year to leave those collars on all the time, be sure that the collars have their ID tags or the phone numbers sewn into the collar, and double check the microchip registry so that if your dog slips a collar, somebody can find out that they're missing from your home. Be sure to set up a quiet, safe space for your pets to relax. Away from the all the commotion and the parties of the holiday. If you're interested in more pet health and safety tips, visit the Used An Institute online at amcny.org backslash Usdan Institute. I'd like to thank Doctor Donald Sturz of the Westminster Kennel Club for joining me today. If you want more information on the Westminster Kennel Club show that's coming soon, be sure to visit their website at Westminster Kennel club.org. Don't forget if you want to know more about your pets well-being or looking for pet health advice, just email me at Ask the Vet at amcny.org and I'll answer your questions on next month's asks of that program. The Ask to Vet podcast can be accessed on the Sirius XM app, across all major platforms and on AMC's website. All of this thanks to AMC's long standing partnership with Sirius XM. Be sure to follow us on social media at Facebook. It's the Animal Medical Center and on X, formerly Twitter and Instagram. It's at AMCNY. I'd appreciate it if you could take a moment to give the podcast a review. Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast so you receive new episodes as soon as they are available. I and everyone at the Animal Medical Center wants to wish everyone a very happy and pet safe holiday season, and we look forward to bringing you more episodes of Ask the Vet in 2026. Happy New Year, everyone!