Caring for Senior Dogs: How Blessed I Am

Erin Furman, author and Labrador retriever lover, considers herself to be very blessed when she cares for her elderly four-footed family members and can’t fathom why so many owners dump their senior dogs in shelters. In her guest post, she explains why senior canines are so special and shares tips about how she kept her special girl Toby, our beloved Layla’s sister, happy and active in her golden years, and continues to do so with Reese, at nearly sixteen years old.

How lucky am I to be blessed with not one but two senior dogs for many years. The love you receive from a senior dog is unrivaled, it is the truest love… that love has known your heart for a long time.

You’ve experienced so much together. They’ve rested their heads on your laps during times that you needed comfort and given big smiles and happy tails during times of celebration. They’ve grown from a wild child to an endearing, gentle, and devoted companion.

Puppies. They are in a league of their own. They try your patience like nobody’s business and I am certain it is only their cuteness, puppy breath, and little grunts that makes it possible for their obnoxious, naughty butts to make it into adulthood.

Prime time. The time that your dog is considered a hopefully “well behaved” adult. This can be anywhere from two to eight years old. Hopefully, during this time, schedules for your dogs are easier and there are not a ton of medical issues, only annual checkups and occasional vaccinations.

Beloved seniors. In my opinion, these years are the most precious stage of all. If you are lucky enough to have a senior dog in your life, consider yourself blessed. This time is a gift. Our best friends don’t live nearly long enough as it is, so to get them to their golden years is very special and tends to do quite a number on your heart.

Our faithful companions’ senior years should be cherished. These special souls that have steadfastly stood by our side for so many years should be showered with love and the extra attention/care that they not only need but also have certainly earned.

Why are so many seniors dumped in shelters at such an alarming rate? Why are the owners, who abandon them, failing them in what I consider to be their best years? We all need to prevent these precious senior dogs from being abandoned at a scary shelter and their fragile, body placed for who knows how long onto a cold, concrete floor. Instead let’s celebrate their final years by keeping them comfortable and surrounded by the love of their family. After all, dogs are a lifetime commitment.

Last April, I lost my Labrador retriever soul-dog Toby at age thirteen and a half. I wrote a book about my precious girl, TAKEN WITH TOBY to try to mend my heart but that wasn’t enough. (For more about my book, see: threescoopsofvanilla.com) That’s why I am now sharing what Toby and her “sister” Reese, at age fifteen and half, have taught me about caring for senior dogs as a devoted and loving pet owner. I’m not a veterinarian but have learned much about nurturing senior dogs and helping them enjoy the best quality of life.

Here are a few tips that Toby and Reese have taught me about trying to provide the best life you possibly can for your senior canines:

• Take them to the vet. Have annual checkups and blood work done. Aspirate the lumps and bumps if they are cause for concern.
• Have those eyes and ears checked regularly. Are they losing their eyesight? It is known to happen in all species as they age– dogs are no different. Dogs can learn to adapt but it is helpful for you to know this and to make any necessary adjustments to help them with this transition.
• Hearing is another thing that tends to go by the wayside in our elderly friends but again, something that you can work with. Listen to your dog: What? What? Did you say something?? Are you calling me for a cookie? Is it dinnertime? Are you calling me for a potty break?

As your dog ages, potty breaks need to be more frequent, just as they did when your friend was a puppy. Weaker bladders are usually to blame. Urine leakage can also become a problem but vets can prescribe medications to help with this. My fifteen-year-old Reese is on a pill called (DES) which she receives one twice a week in her food and this has put a halt to her urine leakage. It helped Toby for several years too.

A huge issue that many senior pups unfortunately deal with are arthritic changes which can vary significantly on the pain scale, from slight discomfort to debilitating pain. Have a vet evaluate your dog to help you come up with a  plan.

There are several things that can help. As a dog owner and lover, I always tell people first and foremost KEEP YOUR DOG AT A HEALTHY WEIGHT! Carrying around additional weight does a number on your dog’s joints, including the hips and back. Keep your pup moving. Even if your dog can only walk a short distance, walk them and keep up the demand on those muscles and those joints lubricated. Fish oil and omegas are always a good addition to the diet.

I personally LOVE CBD (cannabidiol oil) but the quality has to be good if you are considering giving it to your dog. If your CBD oil is inexpensive, it probably isn’t the best quality. I also prefer Gabapentin over NSAIDS, especially because I use CBD oil. Gabapentin helps ease nerve pain and is kinder on our seniors’ organs.

Again, your vet can help you determine what is best for your dog. Common NSAIDS are: Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Previcox, Metacam and Galliprant. On that list, I will always choose Galliprant for my dogs because it seems to be kinder towards their organs. If your dog is on an NSAID, which are incredibly helpful to keep arthritic pain at bay as they are in fact an anti-inflammatory, please also consider a liver support supplement. I personally use Liver Tonic by Adored Beast but anything with milk thistle would be beneficial.

In addition to medications and supplements, there are many other treatments that can benefit your arthritic dog. Treatments include: acupuncture, laser, chiropractic adjustments, massage, and even reiki. Reese has benefited from all of these at one time or another over her fifteen-plus years! These treatments can be expensive, so consider trying one at a time to see if it really helps.

With Reese, we’ve also dealt with Vestibular Disease, AKA Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome. Witnessing this in your dog for the first time is guaranteed to scare the hell right out of you. You will be sure that your dog is having a stroke.

Within twenty-four hours of arriving at our vacation destination in May 2017, Reese appeared to be “having a stroke.” I called my vet, loaded Reese into the car and drove home 200 miles just to have my vet verify that I was dealing with a vestibular episode.

Truly. If you have a senior dog, please talk to your vet about the signs of this disease so that you don’t have to endure the hours of absolute panic that I went through. It takes weeks and up to months for the dog to fully recover, and some dogs continue to have symptoms years later. Reese still has a random head shake multiple times a day from her most recent event that she experienced this past May.

Reese also deals with Sundowners Syndrome, similar to a form of dementia in elderly humans. Her symptoms show up in the early evening and at sunset (hence the name). The symptoms that we see in our girl are: excessive pacing and panting, as well as staring at both my husband Eric and I as if she wants something but has no idea what she wants. Dogs with Sundowners Syndrome appear as though their brains are firing but they don’t know what to do.

Three things have assisted us to help Reese with her Sundowner Syndrome in the evenings:

• First, keep a routine. We do the best to maintain the same schedule every day for Reese’s benefit. Waking up, potty breaks, mealtimes, and walk times all pretty much occur at the same time every day if possible. Reese knows this, and anticipates and alerts us as to what is expected at what time. She loves having that job.

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  Second, add Vitamin B Complex to meals. I had heard that it could help and it appears to be doing so. There are prescription meds that vets can recommend too if you want to look into that option.

• Lastly, take a late afternoon walk. I find that Reese quiets right down if she has a walk. Her brain doesn’t consider what the weather is outside. She only knows that she is supposed to be walking. Eric and I in turn dress accordingly and bite the bullet on some days just to get that “expected” walk in!

So, at the end of the day… after you have stroked their soft head. Stared into those cloudy eyes. Whispered “I love you” into those deaf ears. Wiped the hind end after the last potty break of the night. Helped that fragile, slow moving body into the nice warm, top of the line, orthopedic dog bed.

Fall into your nice, warm comfortable bed and take the time to be grateful for the extra time that you have gotten with your beloved dog. For there will come a day when you have far too much additional time on your hands, and with tears in your eyes and a smile on your face, you will say, “How lucky was I.”

COVER PHOTO: Courtesy of Aimee Lavoie

Related Posts:

https://www.caryunkelbach.com/lifeline-for-senior-dogs-the-grey-muzzle-organization/

https://www.caryunkelbach.com/safe-harbor-lab-rescue-a-new-life-for-so-many/