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It’s finally fall, which means winter is just around the corner. If you’re the doting parent of a senior dog, you may know that the chilly temperatures can be hard on him, and wonder what you can do to help. We at iHeartDogs asked Dr. Michel Selmer, DVM, CTCVMP, for some ideas on how to make life easier for your senior pup this winter. Also known as “The Caring Vet,” Dr. Selmer is a Certified Veterinary Food Therapist (CVFT) who uses … Read more
Most people have never heard of Idiopathic Vestibular Disease (IVD), also known as “old dog disease” or “old rolling dog syndrome.” It is a sudden, non-progressive disturbance of balance most common in senior dogs. If you’ve never heard of it or seen it happen, it can be quite frightening, but rest assured, IVD is typically harmless. What Is Idiopathic Vestibular Disease? If your senior pet suddenly begins to walk in circles, has an unsteady gait, seems dizzy, or holds its … Read more
“I think my dog just had a stroke.” This is something you never want to hear yourself say. If your senior pet suddenly begins to walk in circles, has an unsteady gait and seems dizzy, or holds its head tilted to one side, Idiopathic Vestibular Disease may be the cause. This is a common condition that affects older dogs and it comes on very suddenly; it is also a syndrome that looks really bad, but usually gets better all on … Read more
As our dogs age, their health needs and problems change, too. As your dog approaches his senior years, vet visits are likely to change as a result. Each vet visit is an opportunity to find out how your dog’s health is doing and how you can help him live for many more healthy, happy years. It does take a little bit of preparation, but we’re here to help you get the most from your senior dog’s vet appointment. When you … Read more
As our dogs age, their bodies change and their needs will start to differ. While they’ll always be our baby puppies, our senior dogs are going to have some special needs. They become more sensitive physically and mentally, their bodies and minds start to change, and they will need some extra help living out their golden years in happiness and health. If you’re wondering how you can make life better for your aging pup, consider these tips. #1 – More … Read more
At the ripe old age of 18, Figgy the Toy Poodle found himself blind, toothless… and abandoned. Who could do such a thing? The elderly pup was surrendered to a vet clinic where he could have met his ultimate fate. But by a stroke of good luck, the confused, scared senior made his way into the loving care of the Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco, California. When he arrived with his paperwork, staff and volunteers were shocked … Read more
When the students at Massey University in New Zealand think about their mascot, it may not be a sprinting wildcat or a mythical creature. Instead, what comes to many of the kids’ minds is Richie McPaw (presumably named after rugby player Richie McCaw), a 15-year-old yellow Lab that loves to traipse around campus! Campus chaplain Jill Shaw is Richie’s mom, and he accompanies her at least once a week. The pup loves making the rounds, visiting students to ease stress … Read more
When photographer Nancy LeVine‘s two dogs entered their senior years, she began to think about her own journey through life. “This was at a time when I had lived enough years to start imagining my own mortality. I entered a world of grace where bodies that had once expressed their vibrancy were now on a more fragile path,” she said. That’s when she realized something uniquely special about how our canine companions age. She explained: “I saw how the dog … Read more
Rescuing a homeless dog is one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have. In order to provide the best care for your family’s new addition, it is important to determine their age – or at least an approximate range. Vaccination schedules, testing for common diseases like heartworms, and optimal diet are all dependent on age. Your veterinarian can assist you with this estimation and these five tips will help you narrow down your pup’s age range. 1. Study … Read more
You may have heard of glucosamine, especially if you have an older dog. Perhaps you’ve seen the word written in bold on supplement bottles and special kibble formulas. But what is this compound, and what can it do for your pooch? And where can you find the best glucosamine product for your dog? Glucosamine actually refers to the combination of glucose and glutamine, a simple sugar and an amino acid respectively, and it helps build cartilage and tissue in your … Read more
Losing a dog is one of the most devastating challenges that any pet parent will ever have to face. They say that anyone who adopts a dog or cat will inevitably have their heart broken… but we take the leap, anyway. We know that the love and happiness they bring to our lives is worth the pain we must endure when it’s time to say goodbye. When that sad day occurs, it’s going to take time to ease the pain, and it’ll never fully go … Read more
Last year, we shared a story about Rocky, a sweet senior dog who was rescued at 17 years old. By the time Christmas rolled around, he’d had a year of joy and love with his parents, and was still savoring life in his forever home. Several months later, at the ripe old age of almost 18 and 1/2, Rocky crossed the Rainbow Bridge. But what was truly special about this pup’s time on Earth is that he stayed just long … Read more
While some dog breeds love spending all day outside, no dog should be out in the elements, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week… especially for years and years. This is the story of Bear, a senior dog in Suffolk County, New York who was chained for fifteen years enduring the blistering heat of summer and the frigid storms of winter with no shelter. According to a story by Good News Network, local group Guardians of Rescue (GOR) was called to … Read more
It’s hard to forget the havoc that Hurricane Katrina wreaked on Louisiana over a decade ago. Amidst the devastation, thousands of animals became homeless, losing their families to never be reunited again. One of these unfortunate pups was Dodger, a Lab / Catahoula Leopard Dog mix. Because of the overflow of stray animals, many were transported to shelters around the country. So in May 2007, Dodger made his way to the Southold Animal Shelter in New York. The pup, who’d … Read more
Annabelle Weiss was just 20-years-old when she enlisted in the military. She served two years as a Marine where she worked as a driver and inspected plane engines. She was discharged back in 1946 and worked as a nurse, and now the 92-year-old is still living life to the fullest with the help of her service dog, Joe. Joe came from America’s VetDogs, an organization that pairs veterans in need with trained service animals. Weiss got him after battling thyroid cancer and … Read more
It’s a bittersweet fact that puppyhood is fleeting; you miss that roly-poly little furball, but you’ve developed a friendship that is unlike any other. Whether you’re enjoying life with a pooch that’s past puppyhood or you’re considering adding a new one to your family, there are a ton of reasons to appreciate dogs that are adults or seniors. It’s always fun to reminisce about your dog’s puppy days or even wonder what your rescue was like as a baby, but there may be … Read more
As our dogs age, their bodies change and their needs will start to differ. While they’ll always be our baby puppies, our senior dogs are going to have some special needs. They become more sensitive physically and mentally, their bodies and minds start to change, and they will need some extra help living out their golden years in happiness and health. If you’re wondering how you can make life better for your aging pup, consider these tips. #1 – … Read more
(Please scroll down for information on how to adopt Laci.) How anyone could give up a companion who’s dedicated her whole life to be a loyal family friend is beyond us. However, it does happen–but with by sharing their stories, we can help them find homes! Laci is a 13-year-old Shih Tzu who was surrendered to the Carson Animal Shelter on May 7th in Gardenia, California. Here was the pathetic excuse of a reason: she was “too old.” After living her entire life in … Read more
It’s been a hard road the last seven months for Rina and her owner Judy Fridono, who is also the dog mom to the famous SURFice dog Ricochet. Rina has been plagued with three different illnesses within that time frame – first cancer, then laryngeal paralysis and then vestibular syndrome. Her health was getting worse and she was getting weaker. As her 13th birthday approached, Fridono had a decision to make. She could be sad and depressed or she could … Read more
With one eye and four legs, Brian Griffin isn’t your typical Prom King, but then you’ve never seen a prom like the one Best Friends Animal Society in Los Angeles is hosting. The “Senior” Prom will kick off Best Friends’ “Aged to Perfection” adoption promo, with no adoption fees on all pets seven years and older until the end of May. All pets are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. “We wanted to find a fun way to invite adopters … Read more
Stevie is a senior Beagle mix with a lot of love to give, despite spending the majority of his life alone and mistreated. He’s spent dozens of holidays neglected, alone, and for the past three years, in the shelter where he currently lives in South Carolina. Let’s make sure that this year he gets to celebrate the festivities with his new family! Share this story and together, we can help him finally find his forever home. Stevie doesn’t want to … Read more
PrimeGen Biotech, a pioneer in the research and discovery of practical therapeutic uses for stem cells, officially launched their subsidiary VetCell Therapeutics this week at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. The company has two types of therapies to help with canine osteoarthritis (OA) using stem cells. VetCell Therapeutics is a cell therapy company focused on generating regenerative cell therapy treatments for pets and companion animals. After more than a decade of research and development, there are two therapies available … Read more
You think a lot about caring for your dog as he ages, like ways you can make life easier for him, products that will improve his health, etc. But as you start aging, you will need to focus on some of your own health and needs, too. And there’s no reason why your dog can’t help you out with them! If you’re in your golden years, getting a dog or teaching your current dog some handy “tricks” to help you continue to live … Read more
Imagine: you’re on your way to the dog park with your pooch when someone walking by snatches him, takes him to a car, and begins to drives off. That’s exactly what happened to Mike Heredia on Sunday (February 7th) in Claremont, California. He and his three dogs were heading toward the Claremont Pooch Park when a passer-by on his phone walked by and Heredia heard his dog cry. He turned to see that the dognapper had grabbed Otis, his 15-year-old Cocker Spaniel, and was heading toward a waiting car. … Read more
We all remember the devestation caused by Hurricane Katrina over a decade ago. Many people and animals lost their homes and their families, including a sweet Pit Bull mix named Mouse. She has been waiting to find her forever home all these years… Until now. On a recent episode of Pit Bulls and Parolees (a show about the Villalobos Rescue Center, a hybrid rehabilitation shelter that rescues Pit Bulls and provides a work program for parolees), Mouse was brought into the home of an … Read more
On December 30th, Cookie arrived at the San Bernardino City Shelter with her beloved family, which included a young canine companion, then watched from behind kennel bars as they walked out without her. Confused and lonely, the senior Cocker spaniel whimpered for the comfort of her loved ones, but they did not return. “Cookie is crying for her buddy and her family. She watched as the family drove away with her buddy and left her to die,” writes a volunteer who must have been heartbroken from … Read more
In Bosnia, a blind senior dog fell into a well in the middle of a field while looking for food. The poor dog was stuck in the 26-feet deep well for a month, and he only survived because children would throw him food down. Harmony Fund, a rescue group based in Holden, Massachusetts, heard about the dog, they rushed to the location to save him. Rescuers went down the well to retrieve the dog, and everything was caught on video! Watch … Read more
As your dog gets older, winter months get harder for them to handle. Cold, wet weather can make every day a little more painful for your senior dog, and can even be hazardous to his health. The following tips can help you make sure your senior dog stays comfortable all winter long. #1 – Add glucosamine and chondroitin to their diet Talk to your vet about adding these to your senior dog’s diet. They help lubricate their joints, which get … Read more
What better way to show your love than to make every day just a little easier for your loved one? As your dog ages, there are predictable changes that happen commonly, and fortunately there are things that you can do to make daily life less difficult for your dog if you know how. #1 – Making Floors Safer Senior dogs lose flexibility and balance as part of brain and nerve aging and sometimes, navigating on today’s popular slick hardwood and … Read more
It’s so cute and sweet that some dogs are very gentle with smaller animals. While some dogs love to chase them, there are others who are totally friendly with them. Just like that huge but gentle dog who let a squirrel hide a nut in his fur Smaller animals must really find dog hair fascinating and useful. In the video below, we see a bird who’s trying to make a nest out of a dog’s butt hair. And the senior … Read more
Most of us pet parents take a lot of pictures of our own dogs, so just imagine how many a professional photographer takes?! Amanda Jones was reviewing images of her Dachshund Lily that she had taken over the 15 years of her life, and realized it was very moving. So, she started calling up old clients whose puppies she had photographed, and asked them if she could take pictures of them, now in their golden years. “I worked on … Read more
Toledo, United States.