Old Dogs Bring Smiles

I was recently visiting a pet sitting client to pick up their contributions for the Presents 4 Pets drive. I hadn’t had the opportunity to take care of Jake, their 12 year old golden retriever in a while, and asked how he was doing. “Ornery, as usual,” replied my client with a smile.

That got me to thinking about how often our 18 ½ year old beagle mutt makes me grin and why she has that effect on me. Mostly, I think I’m just so happy that Tootsie Roll has been with us for 18 ½ years, a very long dog life.

I smile at her ability to live in the moment. It sometimes pains us to watch life become more of a struggle for her, but she just keeps adjusting and moving on. She can’t climb steps anymore, so she stands at the bottom of the staircase and barks until someone carries her upstairs. Sometimes she doesn’t feel up to her daily exercise regimen of walking from the backyard to the frontyard. If not, she’ll peek in through the patio door and bark until someone opens it for her. She isn’t saddened by her diminished capacity, she doesn’t think about what she used to be able to do – she just lets us know that she wants help, and she wants it now!

I smile when she tries so hard to be her old self. She has occasional accidents in the house now, but more often than not, she has them while making her way to the doggie door. We fashioned a step out of a storage container so she can more easily get up on the couch. However, I often find her with front feet on the couch cushion and just not able to get the back feet to join them. Smiling, I give her a little boost. Whatever the obstacle she comes up against, whatever the task she’s no longer able to accomplish, she maintains her sweet personality, gives it her best and calls for us if assistance is required.

 I smile, with a little tear in my eye, when I remember what she was like in her younger days. I miss the puppy who ate our family room furniture. I miss the dog who climbed up on our deck railing to get out of the yard. Just once more, I wish I could watch her run and play in the conservation area behind our house.

I smile, because through it all, she continues to smile. I’ve always referred to her as the sweetest dog in the world, and she is still that dog after all these years and the challenges that now face her

Peripheral Vestibular Syndrome - What every old dog owner should know

It was recently my pleasure to pet sit for Hannah, a very sweet 12 year old, 90 pound, mixed-breed dog. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see a large, 12 year old dog be a little unsteady on her feet. After all, in people years, she was probably well into her 80’s or early 90’s. But Hannah was even more wobbly than one might expect because she had developed peripheral vestibular syndrome.

Peripheral vestibular syndrome appears to be caused by an inflammation in the nerves connecting the inner ear to the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance and spatial orientation. It more commonly occurs in older dogs, and thus is sometimes referred to as geriatric vestibular syndrome, but it can occur in middle aged dogs as well. While in appearance the disease is very frightening, the good news is that the problem is usually temporary, lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Symptoms of peripheral vestibular syndrome include the following:
• Sudden loss of balance (the most common symptom)
• Head tilt to one side
• Circling
• Vomiting
• Eyes drifting from side to side or up and down
• Facial muscles sagging or twitching
• Trouble eating or drinking due to dizziness

The occurrence of this disease is very disconcerting to pets and pet parents alike because it can come on so rapidly and seemingly, just out of the blue. Your dog can appear perfectly happy and feeling well when suddenly, for no apparent reason, will fall over and have difficulty standing up again. This is made even more upsetting if some of the other symptoms begin to emerge.

The nature and sudden appearance of the symptoms lead some owners to fear that their dog has either had a stroke or has been poisoned. If your dog exhibits any of these symptoms, you should consult with your veterinarian immediately. The vet will be able to determine if your dog has peripheral vestibular syndrome, or if the symptoms are the result of something else, such as a stroke, poisoning, brain tumor, head trauma or inner ear infection.

Unfortunately, time is the only cure for peripheral vestibular syndrome, and as mentioned previously, most dogs fully recover from the illness within a few weeks. Some vets may prescribe antibiotics if they suspect the dog has an infection. Motion sickness medication might help also be prescribed to ease the dizziness being felt by the dog.

What you can do is to keep in mind that this is a very troubling and confusing experience for your dog. Soothing, calm attention and lots of TLC can go a long way toward making your pet feel better while recovering from the disease. If nausea is keeping your dog from eating and drinking, try giving easy-to-eat food and water by hand.

Through it all, remember that in most cases the disease will clear up by itself. Infrequently, some dogs do not recover fully and may continue to have residual problems, such as a head tilt. As you can always count on with a dog, they are usually able to adjust to these remaining issues and go right back to being their normal, contented selves.

"I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better." - George Bird Evans, "Troubles with Bird Dogs"

Sosa Gets a Birthday!

All of our dogs and cats came to us as orphans. Every time we got a new dog or cat, we would bring the pet to our vet, where they would hazard a guess as to breed, age and make up a birth date. On every subsequent visit to the vet, we would be given a receipt showing who was treated for what, the breed mixture, and how old the pet was in years and months. For some reason, their receipts would show Sosa’s breed as terrier mix, but the age line would be blank.

Sosa found me in May of 2002. And, I do mean that he found me. I went to the stable to ride my horse one day and learned that one of the horse traders had brought in a cute little terrier mutt who needed a home. According to the horse trader, the dog had been taken off the streets in Puerto Rico by a rescue group and sent to Illinois. He had been through a few hands, and now the horse trader was trying to find someone to take the dog. Well, that little dog attached himself to me that day, and by the time I finished riding my horse, he showed no intention of leaving my side. I took the little dog home to see how he would get along with our other two dogs. Everything went well, and he had found a new home.

I wasn’t so sure that I believed the story told by the horse trader. Anyone who has had anything to do with horse traders knows what I mean. Upon closer examination, I found a Puerto Rican rabies tag on his collar. I tracked down the woman that that horse trader had gotten the dog from and learned that the story was true. The organization is called the Save A Sato Foundation, and their mission is to ease the suffering of Puerto Rico’s homeless and abused animals. The word “Sato” is slang for street dog, and they are not treated nicely in Puerto Rico. You can learn more about the organization at www.saveasato.org. My little Sato has become my Velcro dog and loves me more than any dog I have ever owned. I’m very thankful to Save A Sato for rescuing him so he could find his way to my home and into my heart.

Anyway, back to the birthday story. I had Sosa in the vet’s office the other day and asked why they didn’t show his age on their receipts. Well, it seems that Sosa had not been assigned a birth date during his first vet visit in May of 2002. Wanting to correct that situation, the vet tech asked Sosa’s age when we first brought him in, which was 1½ years old. Working backward, she said that he was probably born in December of 2000. “How about using December 3rd as his birthday,” she inquired. “That is perfect,” I replied. “December 3rd is my mom’s birthday!” My mom has been gone for four years now, and I think of her every day. It seemed so fitting that this little dog who has come to mean so much to me should share a birthday with my mom, who I miss very much.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome

Now that I’ve introduced Valentine, our beagle mutt that we lost last summer at the age of 15, I thought it might be a good time to discuss Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, or CDS. While Tootsie Roll has demonstrated some signs of CDS, Valentine could have been a poster child for the disease. CDS is caused by physical and chemical changes that affect brain function in older dogs. Although not identical, pathological changes in the brains of dogs with CDS are similar to those seen in human Alzheimer patients.

Dogs with CDS may show behavioral changes such as confusion and forgetfulness, and may be less responsive to their owners. Advances in veterinary medicine have made it possible for our companion animals to be with us longer, which is a wonderful thing. However, these advances have increased the population of geriatric pets, resulting in more dogs with CDS, and requiring us pet parents to become more knowledgeable about the syndrome.

The classic signs of CDS in old dogs include:

• Reduced activity

• Changes in sleeping patterns

• Reduced responsiveness to people
• Lack of interest in surroundings
• Confusion, disorientation
• Pacing, wandering
• Inability to recognize familiar people
• Increased thirst
• Excessive panting
• Difficulty eating or reduced interest in food
• Loss of bladder and bowel control
• Difficulty navigating their environment

Valentine exhibited a number of these CDS symptoms. She would sometimes pace the floor and wander around, appearing to be confused. I once caught her staring into the glass door of our entertainment center and was sure that she thought it was the doggie door. I think Valentine’s problems were exacerbated by the fact that she had lost much of her vision. Fortunately, the loss of appetite and bladder control didn’t appear until the end of her time with us.

The most unusual behavior change that we noticed was her attitude toward her big sister, Tootsie Roll. From the day we brought Valentine into our home, she had always deferred to Tootsie’s top dog role. As she got older and CDS began to set in, she started picking fights with Tootsie. Everyone would be calmly sitting in the family room, and Valentine would begin to stare at Tootsie. Then she’d start to growl. Then, when we would try to defuse the situation, Valentine would go after her. It was so puzzling because we could never identify anything in particular that would put her into that frame of mind. It would just come out of the blue. I don’t know if she felt that it was time to challenge the aging alpha dog, or if she was feeling threatened in her beta situation, or what her befuddled little doggie brain was telling her.

There are a few things that may help dogs with CDS. Studies have shown an improvement in most dogs within one month of starting to receive L-Deprenyl (Anipryl). CDS is often associated with the depletion of dopamine, and this drug works by helping to prolong dopamine activity and by reducing the amounts of free radicals in the brain. Dietary changes may also help to alleviate CDS. Therapeutic diets containing antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids are recommended.

Environmental stimulation in conjunction with dietary change, is good for old dogs. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks, and you should, to keep your dog’s mind working. We’ve all experienced or heard stories about older dogs becoming more lively with the introduction of a puppy into the household. Use caution with that because a very old dog might not adjust well to such a dramatic change.

Finally, the best things we can give our old dogs are love and understanding. Learning about CDS will help us to understand why our old dog has changed. And, love will help everyone to get through a difficult period in our friend’s life.

Beagle – The Ultimate Chow Hound

According to Wikipedia, “beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game.” In my experience, beagles are chow hounds, dedicated to eating anything they can get their little paws on. To illustrate this point, I need to introduce Valentine, the beagle mutt we lost last summer at the age of 15. I affectionately referred to Valentine as my “problem child”. She would eat anything that remotely resembled food, and that was usually at the core of whatever trouble she caused.

Valentine had to endure induced vomiting twice. We came home from work one day to find a kitchen cabinet door open and an empty bag of Nestle’s Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels on the floor. Valentine’s paw prints were all over this caper, but we couldn’t be sure that Tootsie had not partaken once the bag was open. So, both dogs were whisked off to the vet, where we subsequently learned that Tootsie was innocent of all charges, and Valentine had kept the feast to herself.

The second time Valentine was forced to undergo induced vomiting was when we thought she had ingested mouse poison. One of our neighbors had a fake rock in their yard which contained blocks of mouse poison (bad, bad idea). Somehow, this rock made its way into our yard and we found Valentine with her nose in a mouse hole in the rock. We didn’t see Tootsie near the rock, but since she was in the vicinity, both dogs were once again raced to the vet. The dogs were force fed some nasty charcoal-based product, which is designed to absorb the poison, and which they both promptly threw up in my car on the way home.

Then, there was the time that Valentine ate almost a whole loaf of bread. Living near conversation land, many of the neighbors will put out old food for the critters that reside near us. I looked out the window one day to see Valentine in stealth mode making her way toward the back of our neighbor’s garage. I rushed over, only to be greeted by Valentine with a slice of bread in her mouth, all that remained of the loaf. Since this occurred on a Sunday, we had to take her to the emergency vet ($$$), where they did several nasty things to get the bread to come out one way or the other. Valentine spent the night at their office and greeted us the next morning looking for her next meal.

Dogs of various breeds are prone to getting into different kinds of trouble all because they do what their instincts tell them to do. It’s almost hard to get mad at them for doing what comes naturally. As owners, we need to be aware of what drives our dogs and try to keep them out of peril as best we can.

Canine Arthritis

As with people, arthritis is a common occurrence in older dogs, causing joint pain and stiffness. In fact, 20% of adult dogs in the US are afflicted with arthritis. Injuries in younger dogs can facilitate the development of arthritis in their senior years. Longer body dogs, such as Dachshunds and Basset Hounds, are prone to back problems and are more likely to develop arthritis as they age. Hip dysplasia, a genetic disease more often seen in larger dogs, is a very common cause of arthritis in the hips.

We can’t rid the world of arthritis, but there are things we can do to help ease the discomfort felt by our fuzzy friends. Supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and omega 3s work to restore and regenerate your dog’s damaged joints by aiding in the synthesis of new cartilage. They also have anti-inflammatory properties. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also help with pain and inflammation but should be approached cautiously because they are hard on internal organs. Consult with your vet for diagnosis and treatment.

Other tips for alleviating the pain caused by arthritis:

Weight control - Extra weight only puts more stress on arthritic joints.

Moderate exercise – Swimming and short walks are excellent ways to keep joints moving. Avoid the temptation to “baby” your dog by not exercising, and just let her determine how much she can do. (Tootsie’s idea of a good workout now consists of doing a loop all the way around the outside of the house.)

Comfortable bed – Keep your dog warm at night and away from drafts. Orthopedic dog beds with memory foam may help cushion achy bones.

Rugs and cushions – Strategically placed rugs and cushions provide soft places for your dog to relax, and can also help her to navigate slippery surfaces such as hardwood and tile floors.

Stairs and ramps – Pet stairs and ramps allow your dog to join you on the couch or bed without jumping and potentially injuring her legs. (Our agility teeter totter is now serving as a ramp to help Tootsie traverse the steps leading from the doggie door. How things change.)

For just one minute, I wish that I could see Tootsie as that crazy young pup running around the house. But, I’ll just have to settle for my memories and laugh at some of the new tricks she’s developed in old age. One of her favorites is to hound me every evening until she gets her evening treat. Then she seems to pretend that she didn’t get the treat and starts bugging me again a half hour later – like she’s doing right now. Better go give her another treat.

Please let us know what kinds of things you've done to help your old dogs.

Tootsie Roll as Escape Artist

When I watch Tootsie Roll hobble around on her 17½ year old legs, I try to remember the little dog that used to run so fast and jump so high. The gleam in her eye just before she would start doing laps around the family room. Or, the “happy feet dance” that would greet us when we returned home. Or, her escape artist act. Yes, escape artist act.

When Tootsie was young, we lived in a house with a narrow, fenced-in yard. Because we worked long hours, we had a doggie door that allowed our dogs access to the backyard. Our nice, quiet neighborhood allowed us to give the dogs that kind of freedom. Everything was working beautifully until one fall, when we started getting reports that Tootsie was escaping from our yard while we were gone. Fortunately, our neighbors all knew her and would just return her to the yard when they found her wandering around. But, we could not figure out how she was managing this feat.

A thorough examination of the fence showed no holes had been dug under the fence, and a few small gaps in the fence were promptly plugged. She still managed to get out. Some sections of the fence were a little shorter than the rest of the fence, and these were brought up to code. She was still getting out. Various theories were postulated by our neighbors. Maybe she was somehow climbing the fence. Maybe she was a much better jumper than we had imagined. Maybe she had magic powers.

One day while doing the dishes, I looked out the window to find our little Tootsie Roll walking around on the deck railing. Pretty as you please, she was 3 feet above the deck, walking the railing like it was a balance beam. Upon further examination, we discovered that our deck furniture had been stacked and pushed into a corner of the deck. Our little darling would climb up the deck furniture, walk along the railing until it met our neighbor’s fence, jump over the fence and she was gone. We moved the furniture toward the middle of the deck and never had the problem again.

Alas, we will never see Tootsie pull that kind of stunt again. Like many older dogs, she is afflicted with arthritis. In fact, arthritis affects one in every five adult dogs in the US, and is one of the most common sources of chronic pain that veterinarians treat. See my next post for more information about arthritis and mobility problems in dogs.

I welcome you to share memories of your old dog's glory days in the Comments section.

The Natural Alpha Dog

Much has been written about canine social structure and how it relates to dog behavior. The concept of alpha dominance originally came from studies of wolf packs in the 1940s. The findings of these studies trickled down to the domestic dog arena and found their way into dog training techniques. Dominance exercises, such as the alpha roll, were recommended to prevent aggression and other behavior problems.

People began to challenge the alpha dominance theory on a number of fronts. Is wolf behavior really indicative of that seen in domestic dogs? Were the alpha rolls initiated by the higher ranking wolf, or were they actually an appeasement ritual offered voluntarily by the subordinate wolf? Was the wolf behavior really exhibiting dominance, or does the wolf pack operate on something closer to a parent/child type of relationship?

The fact is that dogs are not wolves. Breeding of domestic dogs through time has generally increased their sociability and playfulness while decreasing fear and aggression, making them less and less like their wild cousins. Additionally, there is little evidence to suggest that dominance exercises did anything to stem the development of aggressive behavior.

More recent studies have shown that alpha behavior does not necessarily mean physically dominant behavior. True pack leaders do not need to rely on physical aggression to maintain their positions in the hierarchy. They have earned the respect of the lesser dogs and need only to exhibit their calm, confident behavior to keep order within the pack.

My old dog, Tootsie Roll, is one of those natural alpha dogs. In the 17½ years that she has been with our family, our little dog pack has included three other dogs. Through that entire 17½ year period, Tootsie Roll has always been recognized as the pack leader (after the humans, of course). It always amazed me that this sweet, loving dog would be the widely accepted leader of the pack. After reading more about pack cultures, I came to identify in Tootsie Roll, actions that others have attributed to the natural alpha dog; her confident stance, staring down of usurpers, an occasional soft growl.

There were sporadic challenges to Tootsie’s position. Most often these came from Valentine, our other beagle mutt. Even in old age, Tootsie’s calm assertiveness would prevail over Valentine’s feeble attempts to unseat her, and the social hierarchy never changed. Valentine is gone now, and Sosa, our little Jack Russell mix, is just happy to have a nice home and has no desire to be in the driver’s seat. So nice for Tootsie that she will be able to live out her life in that top dog position.

Tootsie Roll - Fierce Furniture Fighter

From early in Tootsie Roll's puppyhood, she has shown a distinct preference for plush, fiberfill-stuffed toys. She just loved to tear them apart. She would initiate each toy by first removing the small nubby things, like the ears, nose, or a tail, if the toy had one. After those were adequately chewed off, the arms and legs were the next to go. Once holes had been opened up by the removal of the toy’s appendages, Tootsie would put all of her efforts into tearing out the heart of the toy – the squeaker. Of course, the only way to get at the squeaker was to pull all of that fiberfill out of the toy. It was pretty funny to come home and find little fiberfill snowballs all over the house and Tootsie pleased as punch with herself.

Once the toys lost their appeal, she turned her sights on our family room furniture. It started with a little nibble on the corners of the cushions. The cording that helped form the edges of the cushions was a natural next step. Slowly but surely, it escalated into a full out attack on the sofa and loveseat. It was hard to imagine exactly what went on in our family room while we were gone, but the carnage we would arrive home to every day told the story of the battle that had occurred that day.

Sometime during Tootsie’s furniture destruction phase, we went on vacation for a week, leaving a pet sitter to care for Tootsie and her older sister. Every evening, we would receive frantic calls from the pet sitter describing the annihilation being wrought on our family room furniture. “We know, don’t worry” we would say, trying to calm the pet sitter’s concerns. But, like any good pet sitter, he didn’t want to see that kind of damage being done on his watch. Our old home at the time had only arched doorways and no doors to close off the family room to this little furniture fighter. We came home from vacation to find make-shift plywood doors shutting off access to the family room. Not much for the décor, but I guess it did the trick.

Why didn’t we stop this behavior? Why didn’t we crate our dog? Good question. As younger, less worldly pet owners, we didn’t want to lock up our spirited little dog. After all, we had raised two dogs before Tootsie who never required crating. We now understand that an appropriately used crate can be a good tool for housebreaking and housetraining. If properly used, the dog will grow to think of the crate not as punishment but as its den and safe haven.

Was the behavior caused by separation anxiety, or was it just the way that Tootsie liked to play? It’s hard to believe that separation anxiety was an issue in this otherwise sweet, well-balanced little dog. I continue believe that it was just Tootsie’s idea of a good time.

Old Dogs, Old Shoes

"Old dogs, like old shoes, are comfortable. They might be a bit out of shape and a little worn around the edges, but they fit well." - Bonnie Wilcox - 'Old Dogs, Old Friends: Enjoying Your Older Dog'

Welcome to my Old Dog Dialog and tribute to Tootsie Roll, our 17 1/2 year old beagle mutt. Like a child who needs to tell you that she is 5 1/2 years old, not 5 years old, I like to emphasize that extra half year. I am so thankful for every additional day and month she is with us, that I feel compelled to count them.

One of the things that I have definitely noticed is how our relationship has changed over the past 17 1/2 years. When Tootsie came to live with us, she was like a pair of strappy, high-heeled sandals I used to wear. Both Tootsie and the shoes were cute, playful and sassy. They both said "look at me, I'm fun, let's get crazy!" However, if their energy was not properly focused, they would occasionally get into a bit of trouble. For example, the time she destroyed our family room furniture, or the time I was in New Orleans and . . . never mind, this is about her, not me. Like all good dog parents, we spent a lot of time reinforcing good behavior and redirecting her efforts in those early years.

As Tootsie reached her "teen years", she began to settle down, and her true personality started to show. In this phase, she reminded me of a pair of black patent leather sling-backs I used to wear - still high-heeled, of course. She had firm muscles, clear eyes and a beautiful, black, shiny coat. Tootsie's friendly, sweet persona had developed, but she was still full of vigor and intent on living life to the fullest.

As the years went on, Tootsie's sweetness never wavered, and a calm settled over her nature. Throughout those same years, the heels on my shoes started getting shorter and the toes less pointed. Leaving the corporate world and starting a pet sitting business helped make that easier to pull off. I now relate Tootsie to the pair of walking shoes I wore for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. A lot of miles were put on those shoes, and they just kept going.

Quality time with Tootsie right now often involves us sharing the love seat with Sosa, our terrier mutt. Tootsie is usually snoozing, and I'll be reading or watching TV. And, on my feet, are a pair of well-worn blue slippers. Like Tootsie, they are warm, cozy and as comfortable as can be.