Your dog may breeze through years of senior citizenship without any significant health issues, but sooner or later, age catches up with even the most resilient of canine companions.
You may one day discover that your dog can't see or hear anymore, or that he's developed an irritable streak where he didn't have one before. In many cases, the first really distressing issue to come up is incontinence -- an old dog may dribble urine in his bed or in the house -- and suddenly you have a problem.
Any time a new health issue develops, the best course of action is to have it checked out by your dog's veterinarian. And there's this good news: Many problems are treatable at any age, including cognitive dysfunction -- doggy dementia -- which can be eased for many dogs with medication.
Time, of course, will not be denied. But even for those things that cannot be aided by your veterinarian, you can take matters into your own hands and help your dog age gracefully and comfortably.
Remember, this is an animal who adores you, who lives for your approval and affection. As he begins to lose his health, he needs your assurance more than ever.
Some special situations you may deal with:
-- Blind dogs: Maintain your blind dog's environment with minimal change. Dogs actually adapt amazingly well when they lose their eyesight -- as long as you don't start rearranging the furniture. If your dog knows his way around your house and yard and has a walking route that suits him, try to keep these things constant to prevent injuries and put him at ease.
-- Deaf dogs: For a dog who lives in a soundless world, sudden contact can be unnerving. It can also be dangerous for the person who delivers the shock, since your dog may nip out of fear. Learn how to let your dog know you're coming, and teach any children who have contact how to do so, too. Many dogs are hearing-impaired but not completely deaf, and for those a couple of simple hand claps are enough to get his attention. If your dog is completely deaf, step loudly as you approach him -- your footfalls will cause a vibration that can be felt even if it's not heard.
Leaky dogs: If your dog has overnight incontinence, know that the situation probably upsets him even more than it upsets you. Take him out last thing before bedtime, and then provide a water-absorbent barrier in his bedding. You can use a puppy pad, cut-up pieces of a water-resistant mattress pad, or an upside-down, rubber-backed bath mat. Whatever you use will need to be washed or replaced daily, but the extra loads of laundry are a small price to pay to ensure your senior dog is comfortable.
Once again, be sure to work with your veterinarian on the challenges of age. Be especially keen on the combinations of prescription pain medications and so-called "neutraceuticals" -- over-the-counter supplements like glucosamine and omega-3 oils -- that can make life comfortable.
Slow down, be patient, be helpful. You'll both feel better for the time you spend with your sweet older dog.
Q&A
Vaccines important
to a pet's health
Q: I don't believe in vaccinations, and I am struggling to find a veterinarian who agrees with me. My dog is healthy and I simply won't risk putting disease in her. I know I have to vaccinate for rabies by law, but I just won't do the others. How can I find a veterinarian who won't argue with me? -- via e-mail
A: I think you're going to have a hard time finding that veterinarian because we're trained to prevent and cure disease, not give bad advice. And never giving vaccinations -- not even the critical puppy series -- is bad advice.
But just as in human medicine, there's a sizable camp of people who are convinced that vaccines cause more disease than they prevent. Some of them refuse to vaccinate their pets at all, ever, counting on the health and vaccination status of other pets -- so-called "herd immunity" -- in order to protect their animals from the small risk of vaccines.
I believe a tailored vaccination program is key to your dog's health. Just as in human medicine, contagious diseases used to sweep through regularly, causing misery and death by the millions. Vaccines are one of the true success stories of modern medicine, a livesaving measure of near-miraculous importance.
Manage this risk with your veterinarian's help, vaccinate no more than you need to and no more often than you need to, and you'll be doing what's best for your dog -- and by extension helping all the other pets in your community.
I remember when I first started practicing as a veterinarian -- dare I say it, 30 years ago -- we robotically gave every pet who came in for "annual shots" exactly the same thing. No more. Now we carefully evaluate each patient and look at breed or mix, life stage, lifestyle and emerging risks to determine exactly what vaccines and other preventive health care measures are recommended. We call this a "personalized pet health protocol."
Fewer, less frequent, more targeted vaccines are the norm now, but no vaccines at all? As a veterinarian, I shudder at the suffering that could mean. And I'm guessing almost all of my colleagues would, too. -- Dr. Marty Becker
Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.
THE BUZZ
All kittens born
with 'baby blues'
-- When it comes to cats, singing star Crystal Gayle had it wrong when she sang, "Don't it make my brown eyes blue?" Actually, it is the opposite, as all kittens are born with blue eyes, and if their eyes are to change color, it will occur at about one month of age.
-- The average domestic cat can run at a speed of around 30 mph in short bursts. For comparison, a thoroughbred racehorse can maintain a speed of 45 mph for more than a mile. Racing greyhounds hit speeds of just under 42 mph for about a third of a mile. Cats, well, they're not marathon runners, or even middle-distance runners: They're sprinters, with their speed designed to grab prey or get out of trouble, quickly. While you could never outrun a dog over distances, you could outrun a cat (if you're fit, that is!) as cats quickly overheat when running (due to the nature of their fast-twitch muscle fibers), and have to stop after just 30 to 60 seconds to cool down.
-- Cat owners are smarter than dog owners, according to a study by researchers at England's University of Bristol. People with cats are more likely to have university degrees than people with dogs, which may be because those with university degrees are more likely to work long hours, which limits the hours they can spend caring for a pet, making a cat a better option than a dog. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.