Before I recommended this product I needed to see for myself if it worked. I have heard from many others who have tried various dental water additives in the past without success so I have to admit I was initially quite skeptical. What drew me to healthymouth was that they had clinical trials and a great deal of research behind their product. It is also recommended by leading veterinary dentists, and  healthymouth™ represents the first and only dental water additive to have earned the Veterinary Oral Health Council Seal of Acceptance (VOHC) for plaque control in dogs.

Still I needed to see for myself how well this would work and how affordable it would be for parents of older dogs who already endure a great deal of expense. So I started using it with Paige who had started to show tartar build up on a few of her teeth, so much so that my vet had flagged it as an issue and one to start paying attention to. After going through the impacts of dental disease with my beloved Mackenzie I had made an oath to myself to never have another dog go through this problem again – the effects are too harmful and so preventable.

Using this dental water additive could not be easier – I make a litre jug that I keep in the fridge which is regular tap water with one teaspoon of the formula added in and I use that to refill their water bowls as often as needed. If you use a gallon jug then you’d need one teaspoon plus one tablespoon.

The green water is a bit strange at first, but this did not seem to be a deterrent to Paige who seems to love it as much or even more than regular water. The other dogs we tried it with felt the same way – even those that snubbed it initially came to enjoy it.

For a while I did not see any improvement, but after a few months (yes it takes that long) I was very excited to see that even thought the additive is more about reducing plaque, it had also removed the tartar that had been forming on Paige’s teeth.

In a nutshell, when added to your dog’s drinking water the solution safely cleans teeth and gums. It reduces plaque as well as oral bacteria that causes inflammation leading to dental disease, and inhibites the bacteria and germs that are the source of halitosis.

The longer your dog uses it, the more results you will see.  Since the additive softens remaining plaque, when you combine it with brushing or in Paige’s case, daily use of a dental chew, you can accelerate the effectiveness. And one bottle lasts for months which is great!

I have to clarify however that use of this water additive is more for prevention than reversal. If I had used it for Mackenzie, while I think he would have still benefited from it, I know that it would not have resolved his issues. As a result, I recommend this product for those older dogs that have already had their teeth taken care of by a medical professional and need to maintain their newly found dental health, or for dogs like Paige that are showing early signs of dental problems that can be still be addressed at home and then a healthier mouth maintained.

After seeing the results I will be keeping Paige on healthymouth so I can be confident that as she enters her senior years, which are right around the corner, she will do so without the risk of harmful dental disease.

What are you doing to promote healthy teeth in your dog?

Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.

APOP also reports that 22% of pet owners surveyed are unaware that their pet is overweight, characterizing their dog as normal weight when they were in fact overweight or obese. What scares me even more about these statistics is that the average age of the dogs surveyed was 6.4 years meaning that many of these dogs will carry their weight issues with them into their senior years, increasing the risks of medical complications.

How do I know if my dog is obese?

With 22% of dog owners not realizing their dog is overweight or obese i’d say that identifying the problem is not as straightforward as most would think. The short answer is that you should be able to feel your dog’s ribs with ease when placing your hands on their rib cage and there should be an observable waist. Visuals often help and Purina has posted a sizing chart which is very useful in identifying what category your dog falls within.

Other indicators are decreased stamina, less interest in physical activities, more difficulty jumping or climbing and more laboured breathing.

What are the health implications of obesity for my older dog?

The medical impacts of obesity are vast and when a dog is in their senior years the effect is compounded. Possible health risks include:

Damage to joints, bones and ligaments: Carrying around the extra weight can lead to joint complications and dogs can develop arthritis. If your dog already has arthritis or other joint problems then the pain and discomfort can become increasingly worse due to the extra weight load.

Heart disease and increased blood pressure: As the body is being asked to work harder, overweight and obese dogs are at risk of heart complications. According to Dr. Jeannie Thomason, Veterinary Naturopath, Animal Nutrition Consultant, and Founder of The Whole Dog, ”Something new to dogs in the last 30 some odd years is hypertension. Just as in humans, excess weight tends to cause increased blood pressure (hypertension). The heart obviously has an increased work-load since it must pump additional blood to excess tissues. This can lead to congestive heart failure.”

Respiratory Decline: Overweight dogs carry excess fat and this can often restrict the lungs ability to expand making breathing difficult. Carrying the extra weight is tough work and by stressing the body and its key organs most dogs lose a great deal of stamina and endurance.

Surgical risk: Senior dogs are already a high risk group when it comes to surgery, but when weight is an issue, the risks are even greater. Dr. Thomason describes, “Most anesthetics are taken up by fat, so an overweight animal will take longer to come out of anesthesia because the anesthetic must be removed from the fat by the body. In addition and important to know is that most anesthetics are broken down by the liver. A fatty liver will not be as efficient at breaking down anesthetics and other drugs, so again, recovery may be delayed or even death may occur. The increased fat in the tissues makes surgery itself more difficult. It is harder to find or get at what you are looking for in the body for all the fat. So not only is the surgery now more technically difficult but the procedure will take longer then usual, which again increases the anesthetic risk.”

My dog is a senior – what can I do to help them lose weight?

Despite the challenges that senior dogs face, there are ways to control their weight and keep them active. In fact, given the consequences of not addressing weight issues, as dog parents do we really even have a choice? When you consider that it is not our dogs that are feeding themselves, we need to realize that controlling our dog’s weight is our responsibility as care givers and we need to step up and make their lives healthier and easier.

To get started Dr. Deb Eldredge, DVM and member of Pet Writers Central suggests consulting with your veterinarian to come up with a weight loss plan. “Decide how much weight your dog needs to lose and then look at how to achieve that goal. Switching to a lower calorie food may make sense or simply feeding a bit less of your dog’s current diet may work. Reduce the number of treats or switch to healthier, lower calorie treats. Many dogs love pieces of apple or carrot. When it comes to treats, remember that while dogs can count, they aren’t good at judging volume. So if your dog is used to getting two treats at bedtime, break that one treat into two pieces. He will be happy and not bug you for more.”

When I asked some senior dog owners what they do to control their dog’s weight there were many easy to use and effective suggestions.

Kathy Drees from Germany has had great results with her dog Lily, a rescue from the streets of Bulgaria who was grossly overweight at the time and is now at a healthy weight. She explains, “When I got Lily I wanted to find the best and healthiest way for her to lose weight. Not only because I no longer wanted my dog to look like a barrel walking on four thin legs, but mainly because obesity in dogs can lead to an array of health problems such as degenerative joint diseases like arthritis and arthrosis, diabetes, diseases of the liver, kidney and heart, tumors and several more.”

So what was her secret? “A very overweight dog definitely benefits from swimming (or, if the dog does not want to do that, just walk through water), because water gives an uplifting effect to dogs’ bodies, taking the excess weight off the legs which alone is good, but moving (swimming/walking) in water resistance also is a good training for dogs’ muscles and at the same time it is gentle to the joints that usually suffer a lot from excessive body weight. This exercise helps melt some fat, and strong muscles help the joint and bones of the legs carry its heavy body. As a diet for obese senior dogs I would suggest mainly fresh, raw foods in form of highly digestible protein and the right amount and type of fats,” explains Kathy.

Some other tips from conscientious dog parents include: using carrots, bananas even dehydrated apples and sweet potatoes as treats, cutting back or rationing treats for the day, lower fat foods, using part of their daily kibble allowance as their treats, supplements, walking less distances but more often, and walking in early morning and in the evening when it is cooler. As you can see it always comes down to a balance between diet and exercise.

Dog obesity is a huge problem but one that can be resolved. Older dogs have enough to deal with so why add health risks associated with being overweight? It’s unnecessary and avoidable and I hope everyone reading this will take a look at their own dogs and make some healthy choices moving forward.

Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.

The auditions were to run from 11pm-6pm and to avoid the line my sister and I (and Ozzy) arrived a couple hours ahead of the start time to secure a spot in line thinking there would be hundreds…we got to the location which was in Surrey, at SFU and thought we were in the wrong place because we only saw 3 people…turns out the auditions were not really publicized, much to our joy, and simply put, not that many people showed up. By the time the auditions actually began the room had maybe 20 people in it, a far cry from the hundreds I had anticipated.

The good news was that by being there so early we had the opportunity to be interviewed by Business in Vancouver who were covering the event with a spotlight on Surrey business, so we fit the bill nicely…more to tell about this in a bit.

At about 10:30am they wrote our names down in the order we had arrived and we were moved into a room to wait for the auditions to start. The producers were late so there was a bit of a delay in kicking things off but we were 4th in line so I expected to be out fairly soon. We had the Dogger dog stroller and our Washable Wonders dog diapers, wraps and pads to show as part of my pitch. Having my sister there was great. She helped settle my nerves and we had Ozzy in the stroller so his cuteness was very calming…also the interview with BIV was like a practice run, so I was feeling very confident.

At about 11:20 the first person was called in to make their pitch so we were finally getting things moving. Ozzy was panting by now and I was getting fidgety. The next thing we knew was one of the organizers came in and asked for Ann-Marie. I raised my hand and she said that there is a reporter asking for me to go next so he can get some shots of me pitching before he leaves – YES! I went from 4th in line to 2nd and was suddenly up next! I felt like a VIP  - what a great boost of confidence to go in with.

Our name was called and we made our way up to the theatre where the auditions were taking place. Having the stroller made it interesting since the presentation area in the theatre was at the bottom of a long set of stairs so my sister and I carried it down with Ozzy enjoying the ride.

Then it began…I  introduced myself, my sister Jennifer and Ozzy and explained that we were all about improving the quality of life for older dogs. I explained what we did in the context of the human world, where a huge market has been formed to provide assistance to the aging population of people and that the same thing was happening in the dog world. As people continue to embrace dogs as part of their families, they invest more into their care and dogs are now living longer. This in turn means that a growing number of dogs are filling the senior category and this is driving the need for assistance products which is where Dog Quality comes in.

I also explained how Dog Quality began which was from my own experiences with my senior dogs who were facing issues around mobility and incontinence and how heartbreaking it is to see your dogs struggle, and how powerless you feel when you can’t help them. I then began to explain how and why we introduced our own product lines and why they are important for making life easier for dogs and family alike.

The producers were very nice, made me feel comfortable. They seemed very receptive and thought we had a unique business – they even said to make it interesting for TV we’d need to get a bunch of old dogs to be on stage with me and a producer could help with this, which I took as a positive sign.

We were also able to get some footage of our day (see below), even of the audition itself which they said was ok for us to do. My sister had the difficult job of trying to grab some footage and at the same time help keep Ozzy happy, who by now was starting to whine. So with one hand on Ozzy and one hand on the camera she was able to capture quite a bit of the audition itself which I wanted to share with all of you. As you know I love sharing my journey as I grow Dog Quality, so hopefully seeing some behind the scenes footage will be as fun for you as it was for me.

Will we be on Dragons’ Den? Well that’s yet to be determined – they said if they want me on the show they’d call within 2-3 weeks and if it is a no there will be no call… so I wait. The one thing I do know is it felt great to really go for it and no matter what happens I have grown from the experience and I have no regrets – I said everything I wanted to say with all my heart and now it is in the hands of the producers. But if you ask me – I think helping older dogs would be fantastic for TV!

Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.

Take time to smell the roses

Our lives are hectic and it is so easy to get caught up in the chaos by letting the stress overwhelm us, but sometimes all it takes is to see the world through our dog’s eyes. Mackenzie had an amazing ability to soak in everything around him. He would take his time (no one was going to rush this guy), smell every little thing in the yard or on a walk, savour every bite of his meals like a food reviewer, appreciate every sip of his water like it was the first time he’d tasted it and embrace every touch from his family. Sometimes when I was feeling stressed I could almost hear him saying “relax, slow it down and enjoy.” I learned to appreciate all that I had and not let life pass me by.

Know yourself

Having Mackenzie since he was 8 weeks old until he was 15 1/2 years old meant that I had the priviledge of seeing him move through many stages of life. He started out as a very anxious and insecure puppy and then as a result of many adventures became the most self aware individual I knew. Over time he really understood what he needed, what he liked, what he couldn’t be bothered with and who he wanted to be around. I truly believe knowing who he was and what he wanted from life was a big reason he became such a laid back dog – a transition I would not have believed possible if I wasn’t there to see it. I know many humans that are incapable of change, but my pug took life’s experiences and used it to explore and understand who he was. I found it comforting to be around such a secure man.

Keep an open mind

Some dogs love to run and play, but Mackenzie was more along the lines of an adventurer and scientist. While my other dog would be chasing a ball, Mackenzie would circle the area inspecting everything in great detail. Once the exploring was done he would sit and think – in my mind it was as if he was solving the world’s problems. His curiosity continued throughout his entire life. He was always open to new things and would light up when we would go to different areas, take road trips, visit new parks etc because he loved having something different and interesting to explore. Whenever I find myself unmotivated or stuck in a routine, I think of him and try something new in my life.

Life is about change

If you have ever had a dog in your life, no matter what age, one thing you will undoubtedly see is the changes they go through as they pass through the various stages of their lives. The whole reason I started Dog Quality was because I wanted a better life for Mackenzie and Churchill as they began to face the challenges of old age. I learned very quickly that getting older doesn’t mean the fun has to stop, it just means that you need to have fun in different ways.

When Mackenzie struggled with mobility issues, we continued to have adventures thanks to the help of  a dog stroller. When he had trouble walking on tile and hardwood I gave him traction socks, when he became stiff I made sure he had an orthopedic bed. And when he had so many teeth removed I gave him softer food so he could continue to savour every bite. Throughout all this time Mackenzie had a blast. He continued to enjoy life, he continued to show me love and appreciation and we continued to have an amazing time together. He taught me that life is about change, so rather than fight it, just embrace it and enjoy the ride.

Family is everything

From the very beginning, Mackenzie has been a family man. When he was 2 months old I brought a little French Bulldog into his life named Churchill. The two of them were inseparable from the first moment they met and together the 3 of us became a family. Wherever one went, we all went. Whether it was around the house or across the country we were always together. I can honestly say that I appreciated every moment we spent with each other – I always knew life was short and I reminded myself constantly to treasure every moment which we all did. Mackenzie and Churchill showed me how strong a bond between dog and parent can be – they would have walked to the end of the earth for me and I would have done the same in return.

The love I felt was unconditional and something I will never forget. It taught me that no matter what is going on in your life not to worry because the important part, the part that really matters, is right there next to me. Even with both Mackenzie and Churchill gone I still feel them with me in my heart and in my memories and I find comfort in that.

I have Paige (my 6 year old French Bulldog) who I adore and eventually I will open my heart again to new four-legged family members and I am sure I will continue to become a better human being because of the lessons my dogs teach me.

What have you learned from your older dog?

Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.

If you are like me you have probably underestimated the impact that poor dental health can have for your senior dog, but it is time to change that. It is time to make proper dental care a top priority for your dog because without healthy teeth, your senior dog is susceptible to a long list of possible medical consequences from infections to organ damage and beyond – it’s mind blowing and unbelievably scary.

As a result, my goal is to help make caring for your dog’s teeth as simple as possible and that is the motivation behind our new dental section – effective, easy to use products that will help you keep your older dog’s teeth healthy.

Here is a review of the Nylabone Dental Chews – check out the reaction from our helpful dog volunteers Paige and Ozzy I bet you didn’t expect that something so effective could also be so popular among dogs.

As I mentioned in the video, please know that dental care products are meant to help protect and maintain, but if your dog’s teeth are already in a severe state then you really need to see your vet. Age is not a disease and you would be amazed at how safe dental surgery is these days, even for our seniors. Once your dog’s teeth are under control then these dental products are fantastic at maintaining dental health. If your dog’s teeth are still healthy then these products will help you prevent dental disease from creeping in. When you see how easy it can be, you really have no reason to not add some of these dog dental products into your routine.

If you have suggestions for additional dog dental products please let us know.

Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.

I know most pet strollers come with multiple parts and perplexing instructions, but not the Dogger – it’s as easy as 1-2-3

I should add that we typically take air out of the tires for shipping purposes because the air pressure in planes can damage inflated tires, so you may need to put a few pumps of air into your tires when they arrive. You can use a simple bicycle pump to do that very easily.

In a world where it seems that there’s a “natural” remedy to all of your dog’s problems at every turn, how do  you know what the right decision is and where the heck do you start?

I struggle with these same questions myself in my business as we look to make supplements available, as well as in my personal life with my own senior dogs. I know that dog supplements can do wonders. I would bet that each of you have read or heard at least one story where a dog has become like a puppy again, which is the hope we need to feel when our dog is struggling with the challenges of old age – making it hard to resist the urge to grab every bottle and give it a go.

The challenge is that not all supplements are created equal and in some cases they can do more harm than good, so being informed is an absolute necessity to ensure the well-being of your dog and to give him or her the best options for better health.

The area of dog supplements is one that has garnered a significant amount of attention from consumers, from vets and from the FDA. The issue at hand is that unlike the pharmaceutical industry, nutraceuticals better known as supplements, is an unregulated industry and that has many people concerned.

“Without FDA regulation companies can make all kinds of claims about the presence and quality of the ingredients they have and no one is there to enforce their integrity. Not only are the quality of nutrients (bioavailability, absorption capability in the GI, nutrient sources etc) not scrutinized by any official governing body, no one outside of private consumer advocacy groups is even sanctioned to ensure that the ingredients are there period,” warns Dr. Roger Welton, DVM with Maybeck Animal Hospital in Florida and creator of The Web-DVM TV, Radio and Blog.

Adding to this Dr. Kate Zimmerman, DVM with Tri-County Veterinary Hospital in Tennessee explains, “Even if the supplement contains something with potential usefulness like Omega3, there is little way for a lay person or even a vet to determine if the supplement has any active ingredients in it or whether it may or may not contain dangerous contaminants like heavy metals (a naturally occurring risk) or non-naturally occurring things like factory or processing based contaminants. This really complicates things for pet owners.”

Being able to make an informed decision is not an easy one, but there are a few key things that pet owners can do to ensure that they make the right choices when it comes to dog supplements. First of all please don’t grab the first bottle of supplements you see. Marketing promises does not mean results, and it certainly does not mean that your dog is getting the proper treatment.

Not only do you have to be concerned with the quality of the products and companies that provide them, but you also have to be aware that even though a supplement is considered “natural” it can cause reactions. If your dog is on medication there are risks associated with how the supplement’s ingredients will react with what your dog is already taking. Not only is your dog at risk of intestinal or allergenic reactions, but the supplements can potentially cancel out the drug’s impact or amplify it, putting your dog at serious risk.

Dr. Jessica Waldman, VMD, CVA, CCRT with California Animal Rehabilitation (CARE) describes, “Risks of supplements include gastrointestinal upset due to rapid introduction or intolerance of certain ingredients within supplements, and allergic reactions to sources of the ingredients. Some supplements interfere with and/or interact with medications the pet may be taking concurrently. Dosages of some medications may need to be adjusted if a pet is going to start on specific supplements.”

I know what you are thinking – this is scary. There are risks caused by not knowing enough about the product or the company producing it, and risks in terms of possible medical reactions – so how in the world can you help your dog without putting them in harm’s way?

To help senior dog owners find the right supplements it is recommended that you first consult with your vet.  They are aware of your dog’s medical condition and can advise the best approach and dosage based on their in-depth knowledge. They can make suggestions on which products and companies to consider and many times can give you insight into how other patients have responded. If you have done your homework and have questions on specific supplements on the market, you can ask your vet if they have any additional information. They have access to many databases and sources of information and can often provide a solid opinion on the supplements in question.

You can also do your own homework – look for companies and products that have scientific studies, peer reviews and research validating the effectiveness of the supplements. Companies that have been around a while and have established a solid reputation around the medical community are preferable. Dr. Duffy Jones, DVM with Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia describes, “Most supplements do not have good data backing up their label claims so I look for thoroughly tested products from manufacturers that I know. Some of the better products do have efficacy and safety studies while many of the lower-grade products do not.”

Dr. Waldman advises, “It is important to know what to look for on a label and how to verify its validity in order to not fall victim to crafty marketing. Third party testing of products is the best way of determining whether a supplement has met it’s label claims for each ingredient. If third party testing is unavailable, a good quality product will be able to provide quality assurance/quality control data from intra-laboratory testing.  Any good quality product should list the amounts of all active ingredients, and should also list a website and/or phone number for additional information. Very few pet products and human products undergo clinical trials but the ones that do would be much preferred.”

Dr. Bruce Silverman VMD, MBA from Chicago’s Village West Veterinary adds, “Credible clinical studies are the gold standard for any medicine or supplement. Unfortunately, the supplement market is highly unregulated, unlike the market for prescription drugs, so the vast majority have reached the shelves with very little or no testing.  Therefore, all products available over the counter are not created equally. Some may be of good quality, and some may be of poor quality, yet have wonderful packaging and great testimonials, even from a veterinarian paid to have their face on the label. The supplements that I carry in my hospital are from credible companies that have undergone superior testing and get regular feedback from all the animal hospitals that prescribe their products.”

Some companies mentioned as making the grade include: Nutramax, Vetri-Science, Thorne, and Virbac.

Once you know you have the right company behind the supplements your work is not over yet.  Dog supplements cover a wide range of conditions including help for joints, bone, digestion, overall wellness, skin and coat, weight-loss as well as heart, liver and brain health. However, with most senior dogs facing multiple issues, where do you begin?

“It is best to ask your veterinarian what your pet’s issues are in terms of priorities. Although there may be concurrent issues, prioritizing them in terms of which issue is causing the most pronounced symptoms is helpful in narrowing down which supplements to administer. Supplementation if used properly can decrease the need for medication,” describes Dr. Heather Oxford, DVM, MPH, CVA, CCRT with California Animal Rehabilitation.

Dr. Babette Gladstein, VMD and acupuncturist cautions, “Never start a new supplement at full dosage. You need to start slowly and bring to full strength over a 3 week period. Any unusual behavior should be noted and discussed with your veterinarian.”

Dr. Lori Teller, DVM, DABVP (canine/feline), CVJ from the Meyerland Animal Clinic in Texas adds, “It is important to identify the specific areas where supplements may help, and then to add them in one at a time. This way the dog can be monitored for areas of improvement and potential side effects, and your veterinarian will know if the supplement caused them. If you start several supplements at one time, you won’t know which ones are really working, or which one has led to a nasty complication.”

Key Benefits:

Despite the challenges of sorting through the endless companies and products, as well as working with your veterinarian to minimize risks and increase chances of success, the reason the effort is worthwhile is because the benefits that dog supplements can bring to help our aging four-legged family members can be tremendous. They can compliment and even reduce the reliance on pharmaceuticals and can give our seniors the boost they need to continue to enjoy life.

A key advantage is that supplements allow us to target very specific ailments in our senior dogs. “Fatty acid supplements can benefit cardiovascular function, including helping the kidneys, as well as joint function, neural health, skin condition, allergies, and many other inflammatory conditions because they shift the body’s prostaglandin levels away from those that feed the body’s natural inflammatory response. Joint supplements help increase joint fluid viscosity for those dogs already suffering from arthritis, and can even reduce the future likehood of injury in dogs more prone to joint damage. Liver supplements can help with the detoxifying function when the liver is struggling from other disease.  Urinary health can be influenced by supplements, as can overall musculo-skeletal body condition be benefited by supplements. Other new developments have even led to supplements benefiting cognitive slowdown, like when a person gets Alzheimer’s disease, and to intestinal and nutritional health by focusing on prebiotic and probiotic dietary supplements,” describes Dr. Silverman.

Help is within reach so do your homework, work with your vet and you’ll be able get the most from the supplements you choose for your older dog.

Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.

From the Editors of The Dog Daily

George and Fritz — two canine littermates — spent their entire lives together. In the mornings they squabbled over the tastiest bowl bites. Sufficiently fueled, they then seemed to collaborate on clever schemes, like stealing tennis shoe laces or sneaking into forbidden places. They went on walks together, played and napped side by side.

This went on for 14 years until Fritz died. Suddenly, George no longer acted like the same dog. He slept more, withdrew from social activities and lost interest in his food.

At that point, a visit to the vet was in order. “In such cases, I always begin by looking for a physical cause,” said Dr. Raymond Van Lienden, DVM, a veterinarian at The Animal Clinic of Clifton, Va. “I conduct a full examination, do the blood work, run x-rays and analyze the dog’s complete health history to see what may be wrong.” He added that for dogs like George, no physical malady might show up in the barrage of medical tests. “It’s then that we have to look at other possible causes, including grief and depression.”

Is Dog Depression Real?
Dr. Van Lienden says that no study has yet unequivocally proven that depression exists in dogs, but he is convinced animals have emotions. “When you come home, your dog may appear happy and excited to see you, and when you scold it, it may slink away with apparent guilt,” he said, adding that dog’s appear to suffer from physical as well as emotional pain. A recent University of Portsmouth study further found that pet owners observed emotions like pride, embarrassment, shame and even jealousy in cats, pigs, horses, rabbits, rats and hamsters, as well as dogs. Since mammals appear to experience comparable emotions, depression could be added to the list.

The challenge in diagnosing depression is that symptoms mimic those for many other health problems. These symptoms may include lethargy, weight loss, lack of interest in food, drink and social activities, and a tendency to sleep more. Medical examinations are critical to rule out health problems that may include anything from a chemical imbalance to a thyroid-related condition.

Causes for Depression
According to Dr. Van Lienden, change is usually at the root of canine depression. As for George, the change could be a sudden death, or other disappearance, of a valued dog or human companion. It might be an unwanted change of scenery, such as when the owner moves from one location to another. Or it could be an unwanted addition, like a new baby, pet, or housemate that has altered the dog’s routine in some way.

Dr. Van Lienden offered these suggestions for preventing and treating depression in your dog:

• If some kind of major change is forthcoming, try to gradually transition your dog by maintaining its usual schedule and keeping familiar toys and objects at hand/paw. Then slowly introduce your dog to the new person or place, allowing it to sniff and investigate as much as possible.
• If another dog in your family dies, consider replacing it with a new dog, as studies suggest canines enjoy having same species companionship.
• Once your vet rules out medical conditions as a cause for your dog’s problems, say something like, “Humor me, doctor. Could my dog be depressed?” Some vets are more open to the possibility than others, so you may have to step in as your dog’s mental health advocate.
• In severe cases, consider medications that your veterinarian could prescribe, such as Prozac, which can “buy some time” to get your dog through the worst period.

The good news is that, unlike humans, dogs live more for the moment. Although grief and depression can linger for weeks or even months in canines, the feelings and related symptoms are usually temporary. “Most dogs will overcome the problems on their own,” said Dr. Van Lienden. “It may just take a bit of time for them to cope and adjust.”

Getting old is no excuse to become a couch potato—and that goes for dogs, too! As your dog ages, regular exercise keeps its muscles toned, his joints protected, his body trim and his mind sharp. He may no longer be able to slaughter the Frisbee like he used, but an exercise routine tailored to his individual likes and needs will make his remaining years truly golden.

“The most important thing with older dogs is making a routine,” says Nann Dawn, shelter manager at the Oakland Adoption Center in Oakland, California and one of the founders of the shelter’s innovative Silver Muzzle Club, an adoption program for pets eight-years and older. “Make time for exercise every day. They can’t afford at their age to be weekend warriors.”

Whether your dog’s idea of fun is swimming, walking, or playing with other dogs, build up slowly. If it’s walking, start with a few blocks and gradually progress to a couple of miles a day.

Beware of overstraining your pooch. An older dog will want to please you and might end up playing beyond its limits. Monitor the situation closely and make sure your dog doesn’t become dehydrated, overheated or too tired.  “The key is not to push a dog,” says Chuck Keicer, DVM, at the Heartland Veterinary Hospital in Kentucky. “You don’t want to push an animal beyond a comfort zone.”

Steer clear of high-impact activities like jumping which can stress aging joints. Keicer recommends swimming as “absolutely the best” for older dogs because it is low-impact. Walking is a close second for the same reason.  Surprisingly, however, Keicer also likes agility training, which he says can be easily adjusted to suit a senior dog’s ability. “There are lots of ways an agility course can be modified for an older dog,” says Keicer. Lowering jumps is a good example. “It can still be a blast for them to participate.”

Obedience training is another option to get senior dogs moving. “Every adult dog who joins the Silver Muzzle Club goes through obedience work,” says Dawn. “We have yet to find one that doesn’t like a little round of treat training,” she says. And a lot of the senior dogs have gone on to do pet therapy. “Most dogs don’t make it to old age without being really good dogs.  Sometimes they’re really ready to work.”

Dawn also recommends at-home toys, such as Buster Cubes and Kongs filled with kibble, because they keep a senior dog entertained and exercise the jaw muscles. As for social activities, she prefers large dog parks where an older dog might avoid getting bullied or crowded by younger aggressive dogs.  “Older dogs can’t take those adolescent body slams,” she says. “Most of them can’t keep up with the youngsters.”

By knowing your older dog’s likes and limitations, the two of you can develop an exercise regimen that will keep both of you having fun for years to come.