DEAR DR. FOX: My wife and I are now in our mid-70s. We live comfortably in a beautiful home and neighborhood on the New Jersey shore.

Except for my time away in college and the Army, I’ve always had a dog. The last three lived over 16 years since puppyhood. Living close to the beach and having a good-sized backyard, the dogs got lots of healthy exercise, health care and love.

Our last dog, a wonderful mixed-breed Lab, died two years ago. We really miss having a dog like her with us.

Dilemma: We want another dog, but are concerned that because of our age, even though we’re in relatively good health, the dog may outlive us. We don’t want to leave the dog without a fine home. The last three dogs were adopted from rescue organizations. We would do the same again.

Any words of wisdom? -- S.C., Ocean Township, New Jersey

DEAR S.C.: You raise a valid question indeed, because many people at your age and missing a dog in their lives go out and adopt one that is young, energetic and often too much to handle -- in addition to possibly outliving them. I would look for a middle-aged dog, at least 5-6 years old, who is house- and leash-trained and easygoing.

Contact your local shelter. I hesitate going on the internet to find a suitable dog because there are scammers out there, and you should see the dog first, anyway, before considering adoption. The shelter should provide you with a full background history, why the dog was surrendered, a behavioral evaluation and possibly also past veterinary health records and a clean bill of health.

Most shelters have an experienced staffer to help with proper placement, fitting the temperament and age of the dog with the person/family/lifestyle where the dog may be going. They should also request an in-home follow-up visit after the adoption.

Let them know what kind of dog you are looking for, and they should call you when a suitable dog comes in, such as an older one whose owner has died or has moved to a no-pets retirement home. Old dogs generally adapt very well to new homes, destroying the myth that they get too set in their ways. But all dogs may show signs of separation anxiety until they feel they are in a forever-home and settle down in their new pack.

Keep me posted!

DEAR DR. FOX: Our 5-year-old female Shih Tzu was once house-trained, but a few months ago she began urinating in our dining room. Initially she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, which was treated. She lets us know when she wants to play or eat, but not always when she wants to go out. X-rays show there are no bladder stones. Why has she stopped letting us know she needs to go out? What should we do? -- L.O., Neptune, New Jersey

DEAR L.O., You are fortunate that your dog is small, so the quantity of urine being voided is also small. It is important to know if she is simply involuntarily dripping urine because she is incontinent or if she is actually squatting and urinating. If the latter, encourage her to use a disposable pee-pad you place on the floor where she is most likely to urinate. If you suspect incontinence due to weak control of the bladder sphincter -- common in neutered female dogs -- consult with your veterinarian, who will prescribe medication. I am of the old school of hormone replacement medication (with diethylstilbestrol), with many dogs requiring only periodic medication twice daily.

It is also possible that there has been a recurrence of the cystitis. Reducing the grain content of her diet and giving her a 250 mg capsule of cranberry concentrate may help reduce bladder inflammation and make the urine more naturally acidic.

GREYHOUND DOG RACING IN FLORIDA

From Christine A. Dorchak, Esq., president and general counsel of greyhound advocacy group GREY2K USA Worldwide:

“Earlier this month, (Florida State) Senator Tom Lee filed a Constitutional amendment to phase out greyhound racing in Florida. This historic proposal is the first official attempt to end greyhound racing in the Sunshine State.

“It will gradually phase out dog racing over three years, and importantly, repeal the state mandate for greyhound racing. In order to pass, the amendment will first have to be approved by the Florida Constitution Revision Commission. If the CRC gives it a green light, the humane proposal will then appear on the 2018 statewide ballot.

“This is a common-sense proposal that will have broad support from the humane and business community.

“Greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane. According to state records, a racing dog dies every three days at a Florida dog track. Greyhounds endure lives of severe confinement, and are given dangerous drugs including anabolic steroids. Recent news stories have also revealed the use of cocaine in a likely attempt to fix races.

“If approved by voters, Senator Lee’s proposal will end this terrible treatment for good and send a message around the world that the state which first legalized dog racing has now seen the light.”

For more on this issue, visit grey2kusa.org.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 17-year-old Chihuahua that has CCD (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction), congestive heart failure, liver disease and kidney disease. His congestive heart failure is managed with with Vetmedin, Lasix and Benazepril. The primary concern is his CCD.

It is unclear, per our vet, if his heart problem is causing less oxygen to reach the brain or not. But he’s either pacing and circling or sleeping. He does not interact with others, and I suspect it’s for a variety of reasons: deafness, near-blindness and cognitive dysfunction. However, he does know when he’s alone in a room, as he will seek out signs of anyone being in the house. If he thinks he’s alone, he makes this “mooing” sound. He doesn’t understand what it means to go on a walk anymore, and will go in all directions. He is weak and wobbly; what he does most is walk a few feet, stop and stare as if his brain has been interrupted, look as if he is about to fall, then will continue walking. He does the staring and circling quite often throughout the day. He will also go to the side of my chair where I’m sitting and will begin to whimper. He gets lost in the house and trapped under barstools.

He doesn’t ask to get in bed with us like he used to (by reaching up with his paws), but he will come to the side where I’m at, then circle and leave. I retrieve him and put him in the bed, but he either settles down quickly or becomes very agitated and fights to get down. The other positive thing he does is he still eats and drinks water.

He doesn’t greet me at the door, and when I go to him and pet him, he doesn’t respond like he knows me. So basically his days now are spent either pacing or sleeping.

It’s becoming almost impossible to watch him 24/7, which he needs. I’ve had conversations about “quality of life,” and that it should determine whether to intervene or to let nature take its course. But I am so close to him that I just can’t say with full conviction that I think it’s time to intervene. How do I know what the best choice is for him? Everyone, including my husband, is telling me to let him go. I just keep thinking if I intervene, am I robbing him of days he needs to keep living? If I do nothing, will he be suffering?

I am reaching out to you because you seem to really understand animal behavior on a deep level, and not just what the books say. I made a commitment to take the best possible care of my pets, and I love them like my own children. At the age of 17 years and four months, he’s given me some of the best years of my life. He’s been the spark in my day. I don’t know if I’m holding on to the past or what. I really want what’s best for him, and don’t know if he’s trying to hang on to keep living or if he’s saying his body is spent.

I sincerely welcome your perspective. -- K.D. (address withheld)

DEAR K.D.: Your letter is important to other readers facing this kind of situation where an old animal can be kept alive with the best of care.

But what is the emotional and physical cost to the caregiver? That is an essential part of the equation in assessing animals’ quality of life, as detailed in the peer-reviewed article on my website, drfoxvet.net. Your competence and devotion are quite evident in your letter.

For the dog’s sake and yours, it is time to sever the tenuous thread that is keeping this old spirit in a decaying body. Discard any feeling of guilt or failure in accepting this. The inevitable is merely being postponed, and in the interim, the poor dog is being subjected to a situation where, cognitive dysfunction notwithstanding, there are probably episodes of feeling the terror of total disorientation and abandonment. One temporary solution would be to carry the little dog next to you in a sling or comfortable bag most of the time, until you can reconcile yourself to the reality of your dog’s deteriorated condition and incredible will to live.

As a culture, we have difficulty accepting death, especially of our loved ones, whether human or nonhuman. But euthanasia is a humane and ethical decision, and one which I would consider now for your dog. I would secure the services of a veterinarian to do in-home euthanasia for the comfort of all.

VETS SAY CHARITY DID NOT FOLLOW THROUGH ON PROMISES

At least 17 veterinarians, veterinary technicians and practice managers, along with four pet owners, say the Dr. Steve Abrams Memorial Foundation -- Petsavers Inc. -- has failed to live up to promises to pay for treatments and surgeries. The charity is run by Alan Abrams, who has been convicted of practicing veterinary medicine without a license and has been sued multiple times for actions he took as a veterinary practice consultant. -- Veterinary Information Network, Nov. 2

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: Some animal organizations have jumped on the bandwagon and are promoting free adoptions, just to empty out the kennels and to keep the killing (euthanasia) rate to a minimum. This will look good on paper: Increased adoptions equal decreased killings. What more could the humane public ask for?

However, the crucial part missing from this happy equation is a concern for the quality of life for the animal. This is the responsibility of the adoption agency as well as the adopting person/family, and calls for concern and empathy -- the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

To those facilities that give away animals without any concern for the animals’ safety and well-being, I would like to pose this question: “Where is your humanity?” One would hope that over time, we would have made more progress on the empathy scale. In fact, I thought we had grown way beyond attitudes from the past that animals are disposable commodities.

Free adoptions are only part of the solution. The second part is to formulate a different approach to adoptions. In my opinion, such a plan would include the following steps:

1. Arrange for home visits, both pre- and post-adoption.

2. Educate the public about ”breed-specific legislation,” which prohibits some breeds in certain areas. These laws are often, basically, pit bull bans, and are determined by individual municipalities. But not all dogs are the same! In many communities, there are experts who can help with temperament testing and provide classes in dog handling/training at the shelter or another facility.

3. Form a respectful partnership with volunteers, and work in tandem with them. Their help is priceless. It is also free of charge. Volunteers are not only loving caretakers, but they can help educate by developing a rapport with the public via community outreach.

These are just a few suggestions. Many more options are available if we only open ourselves to the possibilities. In my opinion, animals should never be offered “free.” There are worse fates than euthanasia -- for example, being used as a “bait dog” and suffering a protracted, slow and painful death. Another is winding up in a neglectful or abusive home.

The animals depend on us! -- H.S., St. Louis, Missouri

DEAR H.S.: Your excellent synopsis of one of the dark sides of the “no kill” animal shelter movement will be appreciated by many as a wake-up call to communities where this practice of animal shelter giveaways is going on. I would stress that those engaging in this periodic activity should be closely watched by local media and humane investigators. I also invite other readers to share their concerns about animal welfare and protection issues.

PRECAUTIONS FOR DOG WALKERS

Whether you’re walking a friend’s dog, are employed as a dog walker, or are starting your own dog walking business, there are disease and injury risks that should be addressed and measures that can be taken to prevent problems. To help dog walkers navigate these potential hazards, the American Veterinary Medical Association has compiled resources on dog walking preparation, injury prevention, disease risks and more. To view these tips, go to AVMA.org and search “dog walkers.”

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxVet.net.)