Senior dogs need Grrrreat sendoffs

In with the new, out with the old… well, while we are on the subject of old and new, let’s talk about older dogs.

Senior dogs. (Do senior cats count, too?) Of course they do silly. If you know me, you know that. Once upon a time, I was living in a place in the LA area and a neighbor cat was skinny, too skinny and was going around asking for food. It seemed that the cat was homeless. And I fed the cat every day. In a short time, I found out from other neighbors that they were feeding the cat, too. Yet, the cat remained skinnier than skinny. Bones and fur.

It was suggested to me that I maybe should take the cat to a vet to see what was up and I did. I found a vet who took a few looks and tests and delivered a heartfelt decision. The cat had late stage cancer. Nothing could be done to put the cat out of her suffering. There were expensive treatments but in the end none of it would prolong her quality of life. I cir, the vet cried and suggested that I take the cat to the Pasadena SPCA. Thinking back, do not know why the vet didn’t do the euthanization right there but maybe she would have had to charge me for it and I would not have been able to pay. Plus, I was not the owner.

Nevertheless, crying all the way, I proceeded to the shelter. There, they let me spend a few minutes alone with the cat to say goodbye. I did and did a prayerful meditation seeing the cat going up into the light and being greeted by friends, and surprising some of my relatives. Then, I handed the cat over to the technicians and they put her softly to sleep.

I cried all the way home. And a few days later, I ran into a woman neighbor who i got was the cat’s owner. She asked about the cat and I told her what happened. She cried softly and thanked me over and over again for doing what she could not do for the cat. Apparently, her daughter had a baby and they did not know what to do with this cat that they had for 18 years. So they threw the cat outside to fend for itself. An indoor loved cat thrown out onto the mean streets. That poor cat suffered for a year or two for no reason other than her owner did not know what to do. Imagine.

These kinds of scenarios makes me crazy. How could people possibly be so cruel. And yet it happens every day with once beloved pets. The family moves, an elderly person dies or the family has a financial loss. Or maybe they just do not want to take care of a senior pet any longer or do not know what to do so they toss the pet out with the garbage.

Thankfully, there are organizations like Peace of Mind Dog Rescue in Pacific Grove who think that these senior dogs are valuable, deserve much more than being tossed out onto the streets at the end of their lives.

http://www.peaceofminddogrescue.org/bauercenter.html

 

http://celiasue.com/2013/08/20/caring-for-seniors/

POMDR rescues senior dogs, fosters them, and finds them forever homes for their golden years. They also help senior folks like me with their pets, getting them to the vet on time, assisting at times with a helping paw donation for vet care, and/or with much needed pet food or other items (collars, cones, kennels and more). POMDR is a 5013c and raises funds in numerous ways. One of the charitable organizations that helps to fund POMDR’s great work for homeless senior dog s is the Grey Muzzle Organization .

According to their website, “The Grey Muzzle Organization improves the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries, and other non-profit groups nationwide. We are not a shelter or rescue. Rather Grey Muzzle funds programs such as hospice care, senior dog adoption, medical screening, and other special programs to help old dogs at animal welfare organizations across the country.”

Grey Muzzle funding supports the following senior dog programs nationwide.

• Adoptable dogs medical care programs
• Hospice and long-term foster care programs
• Seniors for Seniors adoption programs
• Keeping dogs with their owners programs
• Senior therapy dog programs
• Animal food programs
• Orthopedic dog beds for at-risk senior dogs in shelters nationwide

Thankfully folks like POMDR and Grey Muzzle care about senior pets and take care of them in proper fashion. As Cici ages (she is now 7), I want to make sure that she is properly taken care of in her golden years, too. It is good to provide a will and instructions for others to know how you wish your beloved pets to be taken care of after your demise and / or if you become bedridden and/or unable to care for them any longer. It is a relief to me to know that I can count on POMDR and Grey Muzzle to care if / when I no longer am able.

Now, here is what YOU can do to make a difference in the lives of senior dogs, too.

My fellow pet blogger, Edie Jarolim recently decided it was time to bid adieu to her beloved senior dog Frankie. And she made sure that he had a special bone voyage sendoff. She had provided Frankie with the best of care for him throughout his life, administering insulin shots twice daily, needed for his diabetes. And so at the end of his life, she wanted to do something really wonderful for him. So she fed him ALL of his favorite foods that had not been able to eat during his last 30 days.

Now, Edie wants every senior dog to have a loving send-off like Frankie did. She started “Frankie’s Fund” via Grey Muzzle.

Every contribution that is made to them via Frankie’s Fund will go to help hospice care costs. Grey Muzzle volunteers lovingly take in dogs that may not have long to live and provides them with palliative care and a loving home.

All donations will make a difference. Grey Muzzle is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity so contributions are tax deductible. When donating, please enter “Frankie’s Fund” in the slot under “I want my donation to be dedicated.”

Thank you.  And if you can do a donation today, it will be a good way to say out with the old 2013 and in with the new 2014.

Happy New Year !

Caring for Seniors

There are 41.4 million people who were 65 and older in the United States on July 1, 2011, up from 40.3 million on April 1, 2010 (Census Day). In 2011, this group accounted for 13.3 percent of the total population.  This number is expected to double by 2060. There were 3.6 million seniors in poverty in 2011. $33,118 is the 2011 median income of households with householders 65 and older.

Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/data/national/asrh/2011/index.html

This month is Senior Pet month. Appropriately, I did an interview with Carie Broecker, co-founder of Peace of Mind Dog Rescue in Pacific Grove, CA. POMDR has a dual mission, to serve senior citizens and senior pets.  Carie has been a rock star, always there with a kind word, kind heart and resources for me with Cici so it is a pleasure for me to highlight her work. Her mission is important. I think there needs to be more senior animal rescues across the nation. I first met Carie back in 2003, in another incarnation. We stayed in touch and when I came back to this community in 2010, she was still here, the rest of the people I had known had moved on to other states or had passed on.

About Carie Broecker

She served on the Board of Directors for Animal Friends for 12 years. Carie and her husband Scott, also publish a quarterly magazine Canine Coastal magazine.

The idea for POMDR began in Oct 2009.

“I was taking care of a dog named Savannah, as a foster dog. Her owner was a senior lady named Alice who had emphysema for 5 years.  Her doctors told Alice that she should start getting her affairs in order. She was real sick in hospice and concerned about her dog. She was considering having her put down,” Carie said. “I told her that I would take care of the dog.”  Carie eventually adopted Savvy as her own. She has several 11-15 year old dogs of her own to care for besides the 65+ dogs (average number) that come through POMDR.

POMDR was born, with the assistance of Monica Rua, the co- founder. POMDR are now approaching their 500th rescue. This year, they had a grand opening of the Patricia J. Bauer Center in Pacific Grove. The house was generously donated to POMDR by Patricia J. Bauer in September, 2011 and serves as headquarters for the dog rescue group. There is also an adoption center in the front room for potential adopters to come meet dogs for adoption.

POMDR was able to help Ms. Bauer care for her beloved dogs, Mattie and Morgan, in the last three months of her life. POMDR Helping Paw volunteers walked Mattie and Morgan every day for three months as well as fed them, brushed them, and took them to vet and grooming appointments.

http://www.peaceofminddogrescue.org/bauercenter.html

What makes a senior dog, a senior (is it age, weight, breed, size, other factors?)

Generally, a dog is considered a senior by age 7-10. The larger breeds have a shorter lifespan than smaller dogs. The quality of food, exercise and genetics play a part in aging dogs and humans.

Factors to consider when adopting a senior dog

On average, 40-60 year olds tend to want senior dogs, rather than other age groups. They usually have lost a dog and want to help another dog. They want a mature dog, housebroken, mellow, if the dogs need a lot of extra care, they might be up for taking care of it, too.

Younger people usually want mobile dogs, dogs they can take hiking with them.  Depends upon a person’s lifestyle. The more active a person is, the more active the dog they want to go along with them.

How does POMDR find senior dogs that need new homes or are up for adoption?

Shelters in Monterey county, Salinas and Santa Cruz, San Benito contact POMDR, almost daily. Famly of seniors who are dying contact POMDR.

POMDR cannot take owner surrender dogs, unless there are exceptional circumstances.  They get calls from all over the state and country. There is quite a bit of demand for homes.

If/when POMDR cannot take the dogs, they try to give resources of where and how to find homes for the dogs.

Do most dogs get cranky as they age (like humans)? 

Good question because personality is important. Some dogs who are in pain may snap. Others are really mellow. It just depends.  If a dog was cranky when they were young, they are probably going to be that way as they age, too, same as their owners.

Dogs that stand out… memorable dogs

Fox and Lucy, two chow mixes, were living in a shed. It was a horrible situation. The owner had died, and the caretaker did not take care of the dogs properly. When selling the property, the real estate person found the dogs and called POMDR. POMDR got them both healthy and adopted together into the same home.

Zippy, a greyhound mix, is sweet friendly, untrained, jumped fences, counter surfer, lovable. He was just adopted a week ago. He is 10 years old.

POMDR has a cadre of volunteers who assist with events, taking seniors and their senior dogs to the vet, daily care, fostering and dog training.

Volunteer trainers include those from From the Heart, Canine Spirit, and co-founder of POMDR Monica Rua

Do dogs pick us as parents? 

Sometimes they do, that happens a lot with fosters. The pet knows this is their home forever but it can take a little while for the parent to know that, too.

Are the best dogs senior dogs? if so, why?

The best dogs are, they are all great, if you want a dog to go hiking with, you want a younger dog. It all depends upon your lifestyle and energy, both are important to consider when adopting a dog, whether from a shelter or a rescue like POMDR.

Are seniors certain breeds ?

A lot of chis and pit bulls and mixes are in the shelters here in California. They are harder to adopt and then they age and are even more difficult to adopt to homes.  People have to be educated. No dog is a bad dog.  Different dogs for different folks.  Some people love smaller dogs, others love larger dogs. It all depends upon preferences.

Senior dogs care

It is important to consider what will happen to your pet if you become sick and/or die. Have you made plans for your dog?

None of us likes to imagine what our life would be like without our dog, or worse, what our dog’s life would be like without us. It is important to pre-arrange for the future care of your dog, just like you would your children, in case you are no longer able to care for your dog due to accident, illness, or death. Once these arrangements are made, you can have peace of mind that your dog will not end up alone and frightened in an animal shelter if something happens to you.

Unfortunately, thousands of companion animals are euthanized in the United States each year simply because their guardians died or became ill and made no arrangements for the continuous care of their pets. What will happen to your dogs if they outlive you?

500,000 dogs and cats are euthanized each year because their guardian passed away and either did not make arrangements for the future lifetime care of their dog or their wishes were not carried out as planned.

Never assume your friends or family will take care of your dog in the event of your death. The guardianship of your beloved dog is something that should be planned for in advance. The best way to know that your dog will be cared for in the event of your death is to consult with your attorney and have your wishes put into your will or estate plan and to create a pet trust.

More info to consider

http://www.peaceofminddogrescue.org/lifetimecare.html

Resources

http://www.peaceofminddogrescue.org/resources.html

Finding homes

http://www.animalfriendsrescue.org/findinghomes.html

http://autumnbluesreviews.com/blogpaws-celebrates-senior-pets-month-2013/

fleas and allergies and bites on dogs, oh my

Cici is still itchy and scratching herself, but after discussing the situation with Dr. Harvey’s office and Dr. Richmond’s office, I’ve been putting coconut oil on her skin and she is loving the taste of it too. I LOVE essential oils but Cici has had strong reactions to them sensitive girl that she is. Coconut oil is supposed to help with itchies and a lot of other situations. Am going to start taking it myself as well. We also got some spirulina. (Read about the health benefits at Dr. Mercola’s website).   I love Dr. Harvey’s herbal protection shampoo, smells yummy and has all good organic ingredients. Cici survived her bath. And she is eating Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health.  Only thing is that yesterday something bit her. And I got bit, too. Do not know what the bites are from. Ugh.

Once she got the hang of it, she LOVED having her belly and chest rubbed with the coconut oil (raw unrefined) and licked it off my fingers, too.  I think we have a winner.

http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/coconut-oil-benefits.html#2

Coconut oil has strong antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal functions. Coconut oil alleviatesskin allergy symptoms (e.g. itching, dry skin and hair coat) and protects the skin against cancerous growths. When used topically, coconut oil can:

• Disinfect cuts and promote wound healing.
• Improve dogs’ skin and hair condition, making the hair coat smooth and shiny. It can also eliminate the dog’s body odor.
• Clear up numerous skin problems, such as warts, eczema, dandruff, precancerous lesions, ringworm, bites and stings.

an interview with Dr. Annette Richmond, holistic vet in Pacific Grove, California

do you have general suggestions for dogs who are itchy?  what do you look for and/or what should pet owners consider if their dog is constantly itchy, scratching and licking their paws?

Of course check for basic things like fleas first. If none, then I am thinking a food or environmental allergy. So then I always start with looking at the diet. A diet that is NO grain, high quality and easily digestible proteins, preferably organic is what I recommend.

Raw food is the best. Home cooking is terrific too. But if those options don’t appeal to the owner, then the brands I recommend include; Taste of the Wild, Orijen, Wellness, just to name a few.

Eliminating any treats that don’t fall in that category too. Supplementing with fish oils is therapeutic for itchy skin as it is a natural anti-inflammatory.

Use shampoo that contains therapeutic quality lavender oil and chamomile on a weekly basis, a high quality shampoo with oil will not dry out the skin. There are a few homeopathic anti-itch remedies as well.

Environmental allergies are tricky to diagnose, but all the above will help with that too. A blood test is easily performed to check for either food or environmental allergies.

are certain breeds more susceptible to fleas or allergies?

Yes, there are certain breeds affected by skin problems. All the breeds with extra skin folds: English bulldogs, Shar-peis, Mastiffs, and Pugs. Other breeds include: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Boxers, and West Highland Terriers.

are allergies seasonal or get worse during hay fever time? do dogs get hay fever? are there plants/grasses that make dogs sneeze and itch?

Some allergies are definitely seasonal for pets, as there are many environmental grasses and trees that make dogs itchy. So if these are in bloom, or growing well, dogs can be adversely affected by them. Dogs usually don’t sneeze like people, but may have inflamed eyes and discharge from the eyes.

how can pet owners prevent or treat fleas and allergies naturally?

Essential oils are a wonderful flea and tick repellent for dogs. Cats are too sensitive to the oils and I don’t recommend them for cats. One product line I carry is Only Natural Pet, they have an oil that is put along the back of the dog once weekly and also a spray to put on anytime the dog is going out. This product line also carries a flea powder that is made of diatomaceous earth which dries up the flea eggs and larva, and also contains essential oils as a repellent (this powder is safe for cats). These types of essential oils are used by humans for the same effect.

best diet/foods for dogs with allergies, sensitivities, digestive issues?

Organic, no grain, high quality protein. I recommend raw food whenever possible. There are many raw food brands. Starting the dog off slowly with just little bits to get them used to it, and supplementing their diet until they eat only raw food is the purest diet that their digestive tract is designed to handle. Raw meats can also be cooked if owners prefer. I also recommend probiotics and digestive enzymes along with the meat.

what do you think about comfortis and over the counter flea treatments? drugs for allergies (steroids)?

I don’t like to use any of the strong flea medications, they do build up in the environment and because there aren’t any long term studies on these products, I don’t feel comfortable recommending them for ongoing treatment. However, if an owner is dealing with a severe infestation, doing one dose after a good bath may be required once in a while. Many general practitioners will give steroids without trying some of these other treatments first. Only in very severe cases is a steroid warranted.

any other thoughts about itchy dogs esp. during summer?

Baths are wonderful with the right type of shampoo that puts good quality oils back onto the skin and all the other things I mentioned above.

About Dr. Richmond

Dr. Annette Richmond graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. She became a certified veterinary acupuncturist through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society which is a world recognized certification program. Dr. Richmond has been integrating acupuncture in to her practice since 1999, and has continued the study of natural medicine, Eastern and Western herbology, homeopathy, flower essences, healthful diets, and nutraceutical support. She incorporates all of these into her natural medicine clinic to treat most common ailments. The clinic also includes a canine and feline physical rehabilitation component helping pets before and after orthopedic and neurologic surgery, pets that suffer from arthritis, hip dysplasia and much more.

www.naturalveterinarytherapy.com

some relevant articles written by Dr. Richmond for Canine Coastal Magazine

http://www.naturalveterinarytherapy.com/coastal_canine_magazine_articles

cici home soon aka where do good dogs go, the sequel

Update: Cici IS AT THE SPCA, Thank you all for your prayers and kindness. she is fine and be home around 4 pm today.

cici just got home, only a tiny scratch above her eye, she is a miracle baby, i swear she has 9 lives, starving, peeing like a bandit, fed her like a pig, hot dogs, kibble, treats, gonna go cuddle with her. thx

This was NOT Cici just running away.  She was run over by an SUV and was spooked and scared out of her mind. Happened because of owner of this house is cruel and inhuman, let her go out in the street and was laughing about her getting hurt… PS: Cici and I need a NEW PLACE TO LIVE ASAP. More on that Later.

Many many people to thank who kept me halfway sane:

Kelly at Animal Control in Seaside, THE BEST

Megan at the Monterey County SPCA, WONDERFUL

Carie Broecker of Aloha Pet Sitting, Peace of Mind Dog Rescue, Editor of Canine Coastal Magazine and dog mom/lover in Pacific Grove, YOU ROCK and kept me together this morning when I was falling apart

Jim Fink, who has a HEART OF GOLD in the right place, who walked with me around the neighborhood at midnight and made phone calls this morning, always trying to do HIS BEST and powerful PRAYERS

Lisa Spector’s Calm Canine Music for helping me halfway stay sane, if not for music, cannot even think what

Anna Bougas, Nikhi C my Canadian friend, Catherine Howe Bryant, Taylor and Mark, Lisa Cliffe, Adria Castro and The rest of the gang at The Patricks Miracle and Movement, Amy Brigham, Barbara Bruce, Edie Jarolim of Will My Dog Hate Me, Nanners Mom, Mary Alice of Dog Jaunt, Lori Manning, Tim Link, Kim Garrison, Marie or Nancy DiSimone, you guys are THE BEST PEOPLE ON THE PLANET, sorry, hope I did not leave anyone out, forgive me…

and BLESS YOU kind hearted folks who found my fur baby last night and brought her to the SPCA !!!

IT TOOK A VILLAGE and a TON OF PRAYERS BY ANGELS to FIND MY DOG.

PS: Been trying to rest/take a nap, but am way too tired… it occurrs to me that my sweet dog is really a cat with nine lives. She got me to rescue her when she was just six months, from a bad situation, when I did not even want a dog. Then she got hit by a van in Carson City and survived, albeit three surgeries on her leg. And now this Easter miracle… imagine how many dogs get RUN OVER by an SUV and SURVIVE, never mind survive UNSCATHED… and then SURVIVE the wild streets of Seaside.  Trust me, my fur baby is truly BLESSED and surrounded by divine canine protection.