Caring for your Elderly Dog or Cat

Let's face it. As we embrace dogs and cats as members of our families, they are living longer, happier lives. And just like humans, as our dogs and cats get older, their health gradually deteriorates. As caretakers, we need to be tuned into what is going on with them since they can't speak to us. Or put another way, they can speak, we just have to learn the language by being cognizant of their behavior and keenly watching them for signs that will tell us if we need to care for them differently.

One of the more obvious adjusments we need to make both as humans and for our four legged companions is that as we become less active, we need to modify our diet AND excercise. We don't need as much fuel so we don't (or shouldn't) take in as much. Weight gain can have serious ramifications for both of us. Overweight dogs have a better chance of injuring a knee and it puts more strain on arthritic joints. A lighter older dog will be much happier and more pain free if they're not lugging around the equivalent of a microwave on their body in the form of extra weight. They don't need to work on their winter layer. That's why they have (or should) a nice, warm comfortable bed. That being said, you should keep them (and yourself) as active as possible within limitations. In other words, you probably don't want your 18 year old lab jumping for frisbees. A walk is probably just fine. And remember the dog massage therapy that I discussed awhile ago? This might make for a wonderful treat for your older dog and cat!

Pay attention to their grooming habits. As our cat Blanche hit 17 years of age, she began to have difficulty cleaning some of the areas of her body. This could have been due to arthritis (no, she wasn't fat). Be sure to brush them and groom them a bit more than usual. And by doing so, you'll notice small differences in skin condition or other things that may alert you to other conditions that may be present (fleas, dander, weight loss etc.).

One of the biggest indications that something is going on will be a change in your dog or cats habits. If they stop grooming, eating, socializing with you or playing, if they begin to vomit, lose weight or stop drinking, or drink in excess. All of these are signs that it's time to get a physical and see what is driving the behavior. Water is key. Our first bullie Maggie began to drink more water than usual and that was the que that I had to bring her in. And it turned out that this was the beginning stage of her renal failure.

Always check with your vet to confirm any suspicions you may have or just to monitor how your dog or cat is holding up. Your pet should have a full physical exam at LEAST once per year. If your pet is a senior (over 7, 5 for giant dogs) then they should be seen at LEAST twice per year. These guys age very quickly so more frequent exams are warranted. The quicker you can diagnose a chronic problem, the better it is for your dog, cat and you.

We were able to have Maggie in our life a bit longer because we caught her renal failure early and began giving her fluids both a.m. and p.m. at home. It became our ritual where she would come over and sit in front of us as we pulled out the fluid bag. She was a good girl and got her treats. One important issue (which will will discuss in a another post) is where do you draw the line with trying to keep an animal in your life.

Till next time, Keep Wagging!

New Year and a time to give thanks

The start of a new year is a time for most of us to be reflective...take stock of our lives, give thanks and look forward to our lives unfolding for hopefully another year. And unfortunately, there is the other side of the equation that balances out the happy part. Loss.

And today, we lost a beloved member of our four legged family, T2, our rescue African Spur Thighed tortoise. I will save specifics for another post but T2 succumbed to pneumonia.

I know grieving the loss of a reptile becomes an easy target to mock ("It's a frickin' tortoise for Christ's sake!"), but everyone defines family differently. If my friend loves her family of Koi fish and grieves over the loss of one of them, who am I to apply my definition of family to theirs? Grief is grief, loss is loss. And of course, loss helps refocus your attention to the things that you take for granted. Loss gives meaning to what you have.

So, today, I am thankful that I and the rest of my family are healthy. I am thankful that both my husband and I have jobs and a home that isn't being foreclosed on. And of course, we are happy that we did have T2 in our lives for a half decade or so.

I leave you with one final thought. I read today that one of Katie Courics regrets was not telling her husband that she loved him twenty times a day.

So don't wait to lose someone or something to tell them what they mean to you. Be thankful for everything you have in your life and keep wagging baby, keep wagging!

Pet Myth: Spaying or neutering leads to weight gain

Just like with humans, there are way too may obese dogs our there. I hear every excuse from our clients at the hospital. The one that I hear most frequently thought is that the weight gain happened after they had their dog or cat spayed or neutered. It probably has nothing to do with the fact that they are free feeding the animal (rather than limiting their food intake), they don't spend the time playing/walking/exercising their dog or cat or that they are feeding them human food. No, probably has nothing to do with those things. Have another twinky Goldy!

The reality is that they dogs or cats are pretty young (typically) when they are spayed or neutered. Generaly they are very active for the first few years of their lives. The very act of spaying or neutering does not make an animal lazy or somehow sap them of their energy. Granted, there are hormonal changes that do occur after a spay or neuter, but these, by themselves, do not lead to weight gain. As I mentioned earlier, if you regularly exercise your dog or cat and do not over feed them, they will be fine.  The upside of spaying or neutering includes greatly reduced (if eliminated) chance of testicular cancer, better behaved animals (I'll elaborate) and of course, the biggest benefit is no young animals being born that need homes. Good homes.

If the procedure is done young enough, the behavior angle that I mentioned refers to less of a chance of roaming and a mellower (typically) animal.

Dental procedures for Dogs and cats

Months ago I wrote about non anesthetic dental procedures and how you could save money (by not having to pay extra to have your dog or cat put under) and how POTENTIALLY this is much safer for your dog or cat. Let me clarify: although most meds used these days are very safe for animals, there is always a risk when ever you are put under anesthesia. Humans too. It's why we have to sign a waiver when we have a procedure. There is always a risk. That being said and all things being equal, I still think this is the way to go simply because it is a lot easier on an animal. They don't have to wake up groggy, have no idea what is going on and be terrified until the drug(s) wear off. 

One other point I'd like to emphasize is that there are very, very few people who are qualified to do a non anesthetic dental. Pet Dental Services  and their staff.  Again, the point that I brought up last time is "do your homework"... check references, check qualifications, ask questions. 

Once again, I'll post the video for those who have not seen it. 

Keep Wagging!