| Reaching old age for a dog is often the result of good | | | | purchase two or three washable diapers in which |
| luck, good life habits by the dog's owner, and in the | | | | pads can be inserted and disposed of when |
| end, just plain good genetics. If you already have an old | | | | soiled.We've been impressed with the fit and durability |
| dog, skip over the next paragraph and read ahead for | | | | of Simple Solutions diapers which can be found at |
| tips on caring for your senior citizen. But if you're in the | | | | Petsmart. |
| market for a new dog, there is a recipe to help | | | | The Handicapped Dog: Older dogs, or dogs with |
| improve your future pet's odds for longevity. | | | | arthritis, degenerative myelopathy (DM) and spinal |
| The list of ingredients starts with a puppy bred by a | | | | problems can sometimes lose the use of their back |
| responsible breeder. Prospective parents should be | | | | legs. This is NOT catastrophe. A dog can still walk and |
| screened with health tests appropriate for their breed | | | | get the exercise they need with a sling or dog |
| before being bred. Add to that a nurturing and | | | | wheelchair. To see a dog wheelchair in action, check |
| stimulating puppy hood. Next, feed a quality premium | | | | out "Denali" on Google. For some dogs, a sling works |
| food for the life of the dog.These days there are | | | | perfectly well as it allows the dog's owner to |
| specialty diets for puppies and seniors, giant breeds | | | | maneuver medium and large dogs without lifting the |
| and toys, food for joint health and for dogs with | | | | entire weight of the dog. If this looks like a solution for |
| diabetes or kidney disease. Feed the diet that's right | | | | you, be sure to get a sling that's ergonomically |
| for your dog. Blend in regular examinations with a | | | | designed with adjustable handles that allow you to |
| veterinarian. Vaccinations are available to prevent 13 | | | | stand erect and maintain your center of gravity.You |
| different canine diseases and dental check-ups should | | | | can't very well help your disabled dog if your own |
| be as routine as an inoculations. Mix in a safe | | | | back is thrown "out.' |
| environment. That means a fenced yard or leashed | | | | Hearing Loss: By the time an owner notices hearing |
| walks, fenced or covered ponds and swimming pools, | | | | loss in their dog - usually in the 4th quarter of a dog's |
| an I.D. tag on their collar, and protection from household | | | | life, it's probable that the loss has been progressive |
| chemicals, dangerous wildlife and dogs you don't know. | | | | and has finally passed a threshold where it's now |
| Let this all sit until your dog is old, gray, grizzled and has | | | | noticeable. Hearing aids are still impractical for a dog |
| more love for you than ever before. | | | | and we are left to do what we can to protect the |
| When is a dog old? We used to think that every dog | | | | dog. We should be especially careful when walking a |
| year was equivalent to seven human years. Experts | | | | hearing impaired dog off-lead. Such a dog won't hear |
| now tell us that a dog's size and breed influence this | | | | his owner call from a distance and may well get lost |
| answer and there are charts to be found on the | | | | and become at risk from approaching cars or other |
| Internet that are the updated versions of this | | | | animals. |
| information. | | | | Blindness: The cloudiness we see in our senior dogs' |
| Once you determine that your dog is "old," what next? | | | | eyes is usually sclerosis, or hardening of the lens of the |
| Let's break down the areas which most immediately | | | | eye. The light-transmitting capabilities of the lens is still |
| impact your old dog: | | | | intact and the dog has lost little of its vision, so think of |
| Nutrition: Energy requirements decrease about 20 - | | | | as looking through a cheap shower curtain. Up close, |
| 20% in senior dogs which accounts for the increased | | | | you can see through the curtain, but at a distance, it's a |
| percentage of fat content in their bodies Fat dogs die | | | | bit more opaque. Glaucoma and cataracts do occur in |
| younger than leaner dogs. Keep your oldster trim; It | | | | dogs and any changes in vision, discharge, squinting, |
| used to be believed that reduced protein spared the | | | | swelling or redness should be seen by a vet right |
| kidneys in older dogs. In the book, "Eternal Puppy." | | | | away. If nothing can be done to reverse blindness, |
| written by Janice Willard, DVM, however, the author | | | | take heart in the fact that blind dogs adjust pretty well |
| shares studies that suggest that older dogs need more | | | | by using memorized routes around the house and feel |
| high quality protein, not less, to prevent muscle wasting. | | | | the vibrations from radios, TVs and the floor to gauge |
| Optimal protein levels are a controversial topic among | | | | where they are. |
| nutritionists, but unless your dog has kidney disease, it | | | | Taste: A geriatric dog may have only 25% of the |
| may not be a good idea to reduce your old dog's | | | | taste buds he had at a year old, so if your senior is |
| protein intake. Older dogs have decreased intestinal | | | | losing weight for no apparent reason that a vet can |
| motility which sometimes make them more prone to | | | | determine, food may have become tasteless for your |
| constipation. Avoid a high fiber diet, but with your vet's | | | | dog. Try increasing the tastiness of food with eggs, |
| consent, consider increasing soluble and insoluble | | | | seasonings, shredded cheeses (especially the "smelly" |
| fibers.Consumption of vegetables, especially leafy | | | | kind), a sprinkling of fish bits or a "schmear" of |
| greens, correlate with a reduction in certain forms of | | | | Braunschweiger over the top of the food. |
| cancer, so consider adding a few fruit and vegetables | | | | Arthritis:Because cartilage cannot repair itself,it is |
| to your dog's diet - very slowly, at first. Give it | | | | impossible to heal arthritis once it has begun.At best, |
| frequently even if it isn't eaten. Old dogs don't always | | | | we can slow degeneration, reduce inflammation and |
| enjoy new things, but if offered routinely or in different | | | | limit pain. Most of us are familiar with Rimadyl, a |
| form (frozen peas as a crunchy treat vs cooked | | | | steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for the relief of |
| ones) they may take to it.Add omega-3 fatty acids | | | | arthritic symptoms in geriatric dogs. Aspirin, even low |
| (fish oil) to your dog's diet; Studies have shown that | | | | dosage or buffered, is NOT a good option for pain |
| Fish oil supplementation may be helpful for pets with | | | | management in dogs. Studies show increased risk of |
| inflammatory diseases including allergies, arthritis, kidney | | | | stomach bleeding. Don't do it. Currently, early research |
| disease, heart disease, and cancers.You may not | | | | looks promising with glucosamine and chondroitin |
| notice changes for at least six to eight weeks, so be | | | | combinations and omega-3 fatty acids. In our own |
| patient, and be sure to consult your veterinarian when | | | | house, each adult dog gets 1,200 mg. of fish oil, and a |
| embarking on anything new. | | | | table that combines 1500 mg of glucosamine with 1200 |
| Flooring: Hard flooring is not only hard on a dog's joints, | | | | mg of chondroitin daily. Our veterinarian is fine with this, |
| but offers little traction and puts an old dog at risk for | | | | but always check with your own vet before starting |
| blowing out an ACL or hip. Put down small | | | | anything new. Substances such as MSM, hyaluronic |
| vinyl-backed rugs for those high traffic spots where | | | | aci, New Zealand green-lipped mussels and other |
| the dog is apt to turn a corner or run to go outside. | | | | antioxidents may also benefit cartilage and joint fluid, |
| Bedding: Your senior will spend more time sleeping, so | | | | but the jury is out on how they work and because |
| offer the best kind of bedding you can mange. Here | | | | these substances aren't regulated by the FDA for |
| are some of your choices:Heated dog beds can be | | | | dogs, dog owners have to be careful. |
| highly therapeutic for dogs with achy joints. They work | | | | Dentistry: By four years of age, 85% of dogs will have |
| like heating pads and are especially appreciated by thin | | | | some form of periodontal disease. Older dogs are at |
| and/or tiny dogs Gel filled orthopedic beds offer | | | | an increased risk for dental disease because they |
| maximum support, comfort and superior weight | | | | have reduced salivary production. With a drier mouth, |
| distribution. The new Gel foam beds contain heat | | | | food sticks to teeth more which increases bacteria. |
| sensitive memory foam type material that custom | | | | Bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to |
| forms to pets' bodies, easing pressure on legs and | | | | places it doesn't belong. Periodontal disease has been |
| hips. The gel helps keep pets cool in the summer by | | | | implicated in the development and acceleration of |
| maintaining a lower ambient temperature, while the | | | | diseases in the kidneys, heart, liver and brain. CLEAN |
| foam helps keep pets warm in the winter with dense | | | | YOUR DOG'S TEETH. If your dog's teeth have been |
| insulation. Memory foam beds are made from (ta da!) | | | | neglected, a professional cleaning may be in order. Ask |
| memory foam which was first developed by NASA | | | | your vet about putting the dog on a course of |
| years ago. Foam beds are another type of | | | | antibiotics before the scheduled cleaning to combat |
| body-conforming bed that reduces pressure on joints. | | | | bacteria, and make sure they are aware of the dog's |
| Dog Waterbeds can provide therapeutic benefits for | | | | age. Anesthesia has come a long way and isn't quite |
| pain, Hip Dysphasia, Cushing's Disease, Hygromas, | | | | as risky for an old dog as it used to be. But it's still |
| Allergies, Calluses, Post Surgery, Senior Canines, Post | | | | anesthesia and should be seriously considered before |
| Chemotherapy, Skin Conditions, Elbow Dysphasia, and | | | | using, particularly if your breed has issues with |
| Canine Auto-Immune Hemolytic Anemia. Standard | | | | anesthesia. |
| orthopedic beds are generally made with a 3" egg | | | | IVD or Idiopathic Vestibular Disease is the most |
| crate. Although these beds are probably the lowest in | | | | common disease on old dogs that you may not be |
| price, the aforementioned options tend to provide | | | | familiar with. Characterized by symptoms that almost |
| better support and comfort for an old dog. | | | | resemble a stroke, these signs include a head tilt, |
| Incontinence: It happens to the best of us. Don't get | | | | nausea and rapid eye movement. To learn more about |
| mad since given the choice, your dog would rather not | | | | this syndrome, check out the January 2008 issue of |
| have the problem, either. In many cases of canine | | | | KnobNotes in our archives to read more about IVD, |
| incontinence, a hormone deficiency is the source of the | | | | also known as the geriatric disease. |
| problem and these are typically treated through the | | | | Boredom: Most dogs are active by default, hunting, |
| use of drugs such as Diethylstilbestrol. If your vet | | | | show and performance dogs even more so. But when |
| determines that there is no medical reason for | | | | physical abilities diminish and a dog becomes less |
| incontinence other than simple aging, however, there | | | | capable of their former tasks, other ways must be |
| are several solutions to combat everything from | | | | found to keep their minds active. Toys are only toys if |
| periodic "dribbling"to all-out flooding;- Just pick the one | | | | the dog interacts and plays with them, otherwise they |
| best for your dog's situation: If the problem occurs | | | | become just more "stuff" on the living room floor. Food |
| during crating or in the night when your dog is sleeping | | | | puzzles are rewarding because they invite interaction. |
| and s/he doesn't move around much, re-usable | | | | The Molecuball, Buster Cube,Busy Buddies and Canine |
| protective pads will work just fine. There are a | | | | Genius all offer interesting food puzzles that help |
| mind-numbing array of disposable options which a | | | | stimulate a dog's mind as they reward effort. |
| Google search will display. | | | | We're just scratched the surface of issues that |
| If the problem is more "mobile," there are disposable | | | | confront senior dogs and their owners. If you are |
| diapers that feature elastic, no-leak gathers and | | | | blessed with an "oldster" in your house, you'll want to |
| resealable Velcro tape. You can also make your own | | | | investigate some great books that offer additional |
| "belly bands" for boys and again, a Google search will | | | | information: |
| show you how. For a "no sew" version, insert a | | | | "Eternal Puppy" by Janice Willard, DVM; |
| sanitary napkin inside the length of a man's crew sock | | | | "How To Make An Old Dog Happy" by Olivier |
| (the man should be out of the sock when you do this), | | | | Lagalisse; |
| and attach sticky-backed Velcro at each end. One | | | | "Speaking for Spot," by Dr. |
| economical solution to pricey disposables is to | | | | |