Category: Blog

Cheers and Boos: Good, bad and ugly of 2016

The New Year is just around the corner. It is a good time to reflect on the good, bad and ugly.

Cheers to our ever-loyal furry senior companions. The warmth of your pet on your lap, and the sheer joy your dog shows when you walk through the door are enough to brighten and dreary winter day.

Boos to irresponsible pet owners who do not properly contain their pets. Loose dogs are at great risk of personal injury, as well as a possible menace to other dogs, people and livestock. Contain your dogs!

Cheers to folks who care for senior dogs and provide these guys who have given so much, with love and care in their golden years. These include muttville, Susie’s dogs, and others.

Boos to dog walkers who still don’t get that it’s their responsibility to pick up after their clients! For goodness sake, take a poop bag with you!!

Boos to those ‘Wrong Dog Owners combinations. How many times have we seen pets returned to a shelter due to a mismatch of personalities?

Finally, kudos to those to everyone who adopted a senior from a kill shelter. Seniors are in shelters for various reason, perceived behavior problems, death of the owner, etc. Puppies will be adopted first, because after all they are TOO CUTE!

Happy Holidays to you and your Pet!!!

 

Monitoring Your Senior Dog for Signs of Disease

As your dog ages , the likelihood he will develop various changes in the function of his body system increases . Some of these will be normal changes to the aging process, others may be indicative of disease. To be more easily alerted to possible signs of disease early in the disease process:

  • Monitor food consumption :how much is being eaten? what type of food is being eaten( does your dog leave the hard kibble and only eat the canned) any difficulty eating or swallowing, any vomiting?
  • Monitor water consumption:drinking more or less than usual?
  • Monitor urination and defecation:color, amount, consistency and frequency of stool: color, amount of urine: any signs of pain  while urinating and defecating
  • Measure weight every 2 months. Note any changes up or down
  • Groom and clip nails, look for any lumps,bumps, or non-healing  sores, and abnormal odors, any change in size of abdomen? increased hair loss?
  • Monitor behaviour ; sleep behaviour, sleep patterns, obeying commands, any house soiling, easily startled , anxious when left alone
  • Monitor activity and mobility , difficulty with stairs, inabilty to excercise without tiring quickly, bumping into things, sudden collapses? siezures? any loss of balance? any lameness or change in gait?
  • Look for any changes in respiration,panting ? sneezing?

Brush your little guys teeth regularly..examine the inside of mouth, any sores?bad breath, gums swollen,yellow, light pink or purplish?

Finally all these signs indicate the need for vet appointment. This does not mean that a disease is present. It means you want to get ahead of any problem!!

The goal is always to keep your senipr dog  happy and as healthy for as long as you can.

LONG LIVE SENIOR DOGS!!!!reading-glasses-funny-dog-25871384