Elderly Dogs

[westiemum]

Katdogs i was thinking the same thing! It seems only yesterday we were responding on Bubby puppy threads!

[Salukifan]

My oldest dog is 18. She definitely show signs of senility, she grows blinder and deafer but her heart, bloods and structure remain sound.

She has monthly Bowen and chiro sessions and is on cartrophen. She eats RC Mini mature but still likes her bones etc.

I reckon she sleeps over 20 hours a day.

I work on the principle that if she can eat well and toilet herself and gets some fun out of her life, she's good to go forward.

She still has crazy play moments, bless her.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Haredown Whippets

[westiemum]

Great description HW - you could be describing my Sarah - and watching her and Andy play is just heart-warming. The day she backs out of a 'bout' with Andy is the day I'll really take notice.

[Salukifan]

Great description HW - you could be describing my Sarah - and watching her and Andy play is just heart-warming. The day she backs out of a 'bout' with Andy is the day I'll really take notice.

Lily is still good on the fang and barks with excitement at dinner time. She jumps into her crate for dinner. I just have to guide her as she can't see the entrance very well.

[Bubitty]

Katdogs i was thinking the same thing! It seems only yesterday we were responding on Bubby puppy threads!

Haha yes! And I remember MrB and I didn't want to have kids because it might upset Bubby! Poor Bubby really bore the brunt of my crazy in those early years

:laugh:

Thank you everyone for your advice. I have had a chat to MrB and we shall continue as we always have and not go overboard. Part of me thinks MrB is preparing himself for the inevitable, hence the freaking out about whether Bubby will last the winter (absolutely NO indication that he will not last through the winter! The dog still tries to climb trees!).

Bubby has always had human treats here and there and I don't think anything on this earth is going to change that (unless he had some condition that required a strict diet to keep him alive) but I think we will wait until he's 15 to go all out!

[westiemum]

Goo for you Bub and for getting Mr B under control. No reason for any changes at this point and just deal with it as you go along.

[JRG]

OT Westiemum -- I have found the 4Cyte excellent. Mop was just starting to be reluctant to get out of bed, but no more!

Edited June 5, 2016 by JRG

[mita]

My tibbie, Nina Zena is 16 yrs old. Still as agile & nimble as ever. No arthritis. She gets the same food I've always fed the tibbies ...they do better on good, plain natural food. Her teeth are doing fine....I've always included some Science Dental in her food. She's an expert at getting attention when she wants it.... she'll come stand in front of me, facing away, so I can't go forward without speaking to her. When I say 'Nina Zena, you're in the way!', she turns with a vague look, 'I'm just an elderly lady in the wrong place!' I tell her she's planned it....& she wags her tail!!!

Be careful what you wish for. Our little rescue dog, Tessa, (thrown from a car as a baby puppy)) had the look of a poodle crossed with a tibbie. When she was 13 years, we thought she was into old age & started to call her 'Grandma'. She lived on, healthy as a little horse until she was just short of 23 yrs (only from 19 yrs on, did she have to monitored carefully by UQ vet clinic). Trouble was she forgot her name, Tessa, & would only answer to 'Grandma'. Eventually, I had to phone council to get her name changed to 'Grandma' on her. council registration. Person at other end of phone thought I was barking mad.

Gran, too, had the same basic, good natural diet over her elderly years. But, when she got to 19 yrs, her liver was showing some strain & we had to feed her food lower in protein.

[trifecta]

JRG my SArah has just started on the 4cyte too. How are you finding it?

OT Westiemum -- I have found the 4Cyte excellent. Mop was just starting to be reluctant to get out of bed, but no more!

Another vote from me for 4cyte. My Belgian girl has been on it for a bit over a month now after it was strongly recommended by her veterinary chiropractor. Apparently, 4cyte is one of the few supplements which has performed well in clinical trials. Previously she had been on straight green lipped muscle capsules and fish oil. However, she is much improved on 4cyte although I have had to keep her on the elevated loading dose. She still gets fish oil of course.

Edited June 5, 2016 by trifecta

[Jumabaar]

We do have evidence that joint supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin, msm) can prevent progression of injury, particularly if they are already in the blood stream when the injury happens. I now start young active dogs on them quite early- the particularly silly or sports dogs start at 12mths of age.

Fish oil is another great product- I use the paws pump bottle because it is just so easy.

Dogs are stoic so I urge caution in waiting for signs of discomfort or stiffness to start supplements.

Regular low impact exercise to maintain cardiovascular health plus some strength work regularly which can be as easy as puppy sit ups and push ups which helps older dogs retain their ability to get themselves up are also very important.

Brain happiness is also vital- treat dispensing toys and regular challenges are important to keep their mind malleable and active.

Basically I put oldies on exactly the same program I use for young puppies in the first 6-12 months of their life!! Weight management, gentle exercise and LOTS of fun and experiences.

[Willem]

...when doing a search for glucosamine / chondroitin supplements 50% of the studies indicate that there are benefits and 50% find no benefits at all. And - IMO - this is not really a surprise: if a dog never got enough glucosamine and / or chondroitin due to a one-sided diet he will obviously suffer one day from lack of those supplements - in this case supplements might be helpful.

However, there are also cases where join pain, arthritis etc. has other causes, and for these poor dogs the supplements will likely not help. With no positive results dog owners might try to overdose (why shouldn't it work for my dog if it works for all the others?), and with overdosing there is the risk of gastrointestinal issues, blood thinning, allergies and interaction with pain killers to name a few of the possible negative side effects.

Overdosing can also occur if the dog has a balanced quality diet that already includes sufficient glucosamine and chondroitin and those supplements are added in addition to the daily food. E.g., glucosamine etc. is present in bone marrow and cartilage (in cartilage, who would have thought that :) ?)...and considering that bones and cartilage is part of the natural diet of our dogs ancestors and still living relatives, a chicken frame and a bone from time to time might be all what's required to keep the dog and his joints healthy.

[_PL_]

We do have evidence that joint supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin, msm) can prevent progression of injury, particularly if they are already in the blood stream when the injury happens. I now start young active dogs on them quite early- the particularly silly or sports dogs start at 12mths of age.

Fish oil is another great product- I use the paws pump bottle because it is just so easy.

Dogs are stoic so I urge caution in waiting for signs of discomfort or stiffness to start supplements.

Regular low impact exercise to maintain cardiovascular health plus some strength work regularly which can be as easy as puppy sit ups and push ups which helps older dogs retain their ability to get themselves up are also very important.

Brain happiness is also vital- treat dispensing toys and regular challenges are important to keep their mind malleable and active.

Basically I put oldies on exactly the same program I use for young puppies in the first 6-12 months of their life!! Weight management, gentle exercise and LOTS of fun and experiences.

Yes! :) All of these.

Except for the pushups. I love the sound of that, please tell me more.

[Scottsmum]

We do have evidence that joint supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin, msm) can prevent progression of injury, particularly if they are already in the blood stream when the injury happens. I now start young active dogs on them quite early- the particularly silly or sports dogs start at 12mths of age.

Fish oil is another great product- I use the paws pump bottle because it is just so easy.

Dogs are stoic so I urge caution in waiting for signs of discomfort or stiffness to start supplements.

Regular low impact exercise to maintain cardiovascular health plus some strength work regularly which can be as easy as puppy sit ups and push ups which helps older dogs retain their ability to get themselves up are also very important.

Brain happiness is also vital- treat dispensing toys and regular challenges are important to keep their mind malleable and active.

Basically I put oldies on exactly the same program I use for young puppies in the first 6-12 months of their life!! Weight management, gentle exercise and LOTS of fun and experiences.

Yes! :) All of these.

Except for the pushups. I love the sound of that, please tell me more.

I'm sure Jumabaar will corrct me if I'm wrong but I believe "Puppy Push ups" are a combo of "quick fire" random, sits, drops and stands. I say "quick fire" because Scottie usually slows considerably - or is much slower after a big day. But that's basically it.

It's our go to wet weather exercise because it tires him out physically and mentally :)

[ness]

Having sat in on Jumabaar's workshop and a few consults the important part of puppy push ups from what I understand is the form not the speed. You want to engage the correct muscles so how they do the positions is the most important. eg you want to reinforce nice tight sits, proper balanced drops with even weight and square stands with nice straight top line. Your much better to do a few repetitions with each in perfect form then you are to do lots of repetitions in short succession. Once these have been mastered on the flat then you can also add stable and eventually unstable props to gain greater benefit.

Edited June 6, 2016 by ness

[rubiton]

As our old dog got older she had issues with sitting - we did not make her sit at all and she used her front legs to basically pull herself up moreso than pushing with the back - I wouldnt make an old dog sit or get up over and over once they had hind end issues at all. But we did get her out on daily walks as possible and let her go the speed she wanted if that was a walk so be it if it was the weird jog she developed fine but it was gnerally old dog bounce or walking in the last year. If she sat it was when she started to tire after standing up such a in the car.