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.

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.

Stem cell research often conjures images of political firestorms and futuristic science, yet it’s a field that’s already offering hope for humans and dogs alike. While the ideal of fixing spinal injuries and curing disease may be a long way off, dogs treated with stem cells are enjoying a new lease on life.

Pepper, a 10-year-old standard poodle, is a case in point. Crippled with arthritis in both his hips, Pepper came to James Gaynor, DVM, M.S., medical director of Animal Anesthesia & Pain Management Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., with his owners, who fully expected to have to put their pet to sleep. Conventional treatments hadn’t worked, or had made their dog even sicker. In fact, Pepper’s owners were so certain nothing could be done that they bought another puppy. “At our 60 day recheck, the owner was hugging me and crying out of happiness because, in her words, we gave her back her dog,” Dr. Gaynor says. “The only problem was she now had Pepper and a puppy.”

Healthy Bones
It wasn’t long ago that dogs like Pepper with arthritis had few options beyond conventional anti-inflammatory treatments — including a variety of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Metacam, Previcox, Rimadyl and phenylbutazone; steroid medications such as Prednisone; and disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) such as Adequan Canine — that sometimes don’t work. Now stem cells are providing an alternative. One California-based company, Vet-Stem, uses stem cells from dogs’ own fat to treat animals in pain.

According to Julie Ryan Johnson, DVM, vice president of sales and marketing, studies have shown that fat is very rich with stem cells, making it an ideal source, and one that is nearly free from controversy, given that most of us don’t mind having a bit of fat removed. “The way we do this is a veterinarian will send us a sample of the dog’s fat,” Dr. Ryan Johnson says. “We isolate the stem cells from that and then send the stem cells back to the veterinarian who injects them back into the dog — for example, into an arthritic hip or elbow.”

Once in the dog, the stem cells communicate with other cells in their environment. While it’s not known exactly how they work, they do decrease the dog’s pain level. “It’s provided the veterinarian with another solution for helping these animals that have pain or difficulty moving,” Dr. Ryan Johnson says. “Most importantly, for the dog and the dog owner, it offers quality of life.”

The Possibilities
Richard Vulliet, Ph.D., DVM, professor and director of the Laboratory of Veterinary Cytotherapeutics at UC Davis, says stem cells haven’t cured any diseases yet, but researchers are working hard to change that. “I think that stem cells in general will rewrite the medical textbooks in the next 10 to 20 years,” Dr. Vulliet says. “They will have an impact on human, canine, feline and equine health and will allow us to treat diseases that we can only dream about at this time.”

Tony Kremer, DVM, an Illinois-based veterinary surgeon, says that as research progresses into the origin of diseases, there is hope that stem cell therapy might one day be used to treat diabetes and muscular dystrophy in dogs. “It is hoped that this research can repair or replace diseased organs, severed spinal cords, or brain cells destroyed by Alzheimer’s disease in humans and dogs,” he says.

Dr. Vulliet works with adult bone marrow stem cells to investigate potential cures for diseases that cause misery for many dogs. Your dog may soon be able to get breakthrough treatment in the following areas:

• degenerative myelopathy, a debilitating autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system, particularly of German Shepherds;
• enlarged and weakened hearts in Dobermans;
• lung and metabolic disorders.

“In the past several years, we have developed methods for recovering a therapeutic amount of bone marrow stem cells and safe, relatively non-intrusive methods for administering the cells,” he says. “We are now starting to enroll patients in these areas.” In terms of fat-derived stem cells, progress has been made in several areas of canine health, including muscle inflammation and a disease known as immune-mediated anemia, which is when the immune system destroys red blood cells, leaving your dog weak and listless.

There has been a lot of excitement over umbilical cord blood banks — centers that collect and store the blood from the placenta and umbilical cord after birth as a future source for blood stem cells — but don’t expect that to translate to the dog world anytime soon. “When the puppies are born, you would have to match that umbilical cord to the puppy and that might be a little complicated since there are often multiple puppies in a litter,” Dr. Ryan Johnson says.

Taking the Plunge
If you are going to consider stem cell therapy for your dog, it pays to think ahead. ”The fat in the abdomen holds stem cells so my recommendation is if, for example, a female dog is going to be spayed, as long as someone is in there, grab that fat, ship it to the lab and bank those stem cells,” Dr. Gaynor says.

You’ll also want to think about the risks involved in putting your dog through stem cell therapy. Dr. Vulliet says putting safety first is the primary concern. After it was found that injecting stem cells into the coronary arteries of university-owned dogs created mini heart attacks, the procedures were stopped until the technique had been improved.

According to Dr. Gaynor, there are three things to consider. The first is the same as any operation — the general risks associated with anesthesia needed to perform the procedure. “But there always is some anesthesia risk, especially as patients get older and sicker, but we can minimize that with good anesthesia,” he says. The second is the risk posed by the surgery itself. The biggest health threat he has seen is fluid pockets forming at the site of the surgery, which is a relatively minor problem.

Finally, there are the stem cells themselves. “Because they are the dog’s own stem cells, there’s virtually no risk,” he says. “The biggest thing we’ve seen is a few dogs whose nails grow faster than expected; that’s as bad as it seems to get.” With the benefits likely outweighing the risks, there’s a good chance that many dog owners, perhaps even you, will be exploring canine stem cell treatments in the not-too-distant future.

Kim Ribbink is a freelance writer and editor based in Perth, Australia, who specializes in health care and the life sciences, as well as pets. She has been a journalist for 20 years, working for magazines, newspapers and online publications covering a broad range of topics.

As a senior emergency clinician at New York City Veterinary Specialists, Trisha Joyce, DVM, has seen her share of doggie trauma. But she says some of the saddest cases are the least dramatic: dogs suffering from severe arthritis.

“One family brought in their Labrador that was so arthritic he couldn’t even get up to go to the bathroom,” Dr. Joyce says. “His overall health was OK, but he was just too big and too arthritic. The owners came in to euthanize, which was a really hard decision because it’s not like he had a life-threatening disease. But there was no practical way to manage it at home.”

Dog Arthritis Is Common

Scientific studies indicate that 20 percent of middle-aged dogs and 90 percent of older dogs have osteoarthritis in at least one joint. it’s hard to stop the disease once it has set in, according to James Cook, DVM, at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

“There are two problems we see in osteoarthritis,” explains Dr. Cook. “One is we don’t have a cure, and the other is that we still see progression of arthritis even after the best treatments. Both of those problems come from the fact that we diagnose it too late.”

A Research Breakthrough

Dr. Cook and his research team, however, may have found the key to early diagnosis. It’s what he calls “the Holy Grail” in the fluid that surrounds and lubricates the joints of both dogs and people. Dr. Cook sampled this fluid from dogs known to have osteoarthritis and from others without the disease. As he wrote in the American Journal of Veterinary Research, when he analyzed the proteins in the fluid, a pattern became evident.

The scientists noticed that quality and quantity of this fluid were altered in arthritic dogs. Examining the fluid even more closely, they identified seven proteins that appear to be linked to arthritis. The proteins increase and decrease in patterns that “are consistently different than [patterns] found in normal patients with no arthritis at all,” notes Dr. Cook.

The Next Steps

Dr. Cook and his team plan to follow healthy dogs over time to see if the pattern can correctly predict which dogs end up getting arthritis. If everything happens as theorized and according to schedule, he hopes that a screening test will be available for young dogs in three to four years.

Until then, here is some practical advice for dog owners worried about, or already dealing with, canine arthritis:

• Warning signs Watch for decreased activity and signs of pain. These may be overt (e.g., limping, lameness, whimpering) or subtle, like a typically pleasant dog becoming snippy. Some arthritic dogs may consistently stop doing only specific activities, such as jumping on the bed or into a car.

• Diagnosis If you think your dog has arthritis, schedule a visit with your veterinarian for a comprehensive diagnosis of the problem. Knowing which joints are affected, and how severely, can greatly help determine which treatment options to consider.

• Treatment Dr. Joyce says that while arthritis is forever and can’t be undone, certain medications can alleviate pain and symptoms. Other considerations include alternative treatments like acupuncture and hydrotherapy. Surgical procedures are an option for extreme cases. Most dogs will achieve a higher quality of life with any of these treatments.

• Activity The best way to treat and prevent arthritis is to help your dog stay in good shape. Maintain its weight in the low end of the normal range and keep your pet active just enough to sustain muscle tone and strength. Start with moderate levels of activity — a brisk walk, limited periods of playing in the park — and work your way up. Through trial and error with careful monitoring, you can find your dog’s “sweet spot” of exercise for optimal joint health.

• Diet A healthy diet is a big part of staying in shape. Dr. Cook recommends going with name brands that commit to putting science into dog food, offer well-balanced nutrition and are tailored to specific breed sizes. He says that while supplements cannot prevent the disease, they can help alleviate pain. “Pet foods with glucosamine and chondroitin or fish oil can help manage the disease because they reduce inflammation and degradation,” he adds.

A Cure on the Horizon

Is the ultimate solution — a cure for arthritis — within reach? Dr. Cook says he hopes his research is starting to point in the direction of a cure. If his pattern of biomarkers can truly predict arthritis, scientists will be closer to determining the root causes of the disease.

“Now we know earlier steps in the process,” he says. “If we can address those steps, we could potentially have a cure. We are getting to the foundation steps, or the critical cogs in the wheel, of what becomes arthritis.”

Brad Kloza is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine and Discover.

Caring for our dog’s teeth should be a no-brainer. After all, we brush and floss our own teeth on a regular basis, visit a dentist whenever possible and spend considerable dollars in repairs when something goes wrong – so why aren’t we this diligent with our dogs?

“Pets with regular dental care live an average of 2 years longer when compared with pets that don’t,” explains Dr. Jen Emerson-Mathis DVM, CVJ. “Just as with people, there is a link between other diseases such as heart disease in pets with poor dental health.”

In fact, dental disease can potentially impact your dog’s major organs – heart, kidney, liver, lungs and even bladder.

One of the biggest problems associated with poor dental health is infection. Dr. Bert Gaddis, DVM, Dipl. AVDC explains, “Plaque is a biofilm and is soft and mostly bacteria. It forms just under the gumline (sub-gingival). It calcifies to form calculus (tartar) and initially the body reacts to this as inflamed gums, but the supportive bone under the gums starts to resorb, loss of bone leads to gum recession-this is periodontal disease.”

The reason this infection creates such health risks is that being at the gumline means that it can very easily enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body causing problems.

While dental disease can start even in their youth, it is often the case that dental problems come to the forefront when our dogs reach their senior years. This in part is due to years of build up, but it is also because older dogs have diminished immune systems and may be less capable of fighting off the effects of this bacteria.

What are the signs of oral and dental disease in dogs?

Bad Breath - The most obvious sign that your dog’s teeth need attention is odor. Since our pets are not supposed to have bad breath, this is often an indication that bacteria is accumulating in the mouth.

Tartar -When plaque hardens it becomes tartar. While plaque can be brushed away, tartar cannot and may require dental cleaning to remove. Red gum lines or discolouration of the teeth can also indicate problems. “In dogs, 28% of the time (and 42% of the time in cats)  the mouth looks normal, but problems are found on x-rays! X-rays show that two thirds of the tooth is under the gumline and cannot be seen.  What this really means is that every pet should have a veterinary oral evaluation and dental cleaning every year — before problems are seen. Almost 3 of every 10 dogs of all ages with healthy looking teeth have painful problems under the gumline,” states Dr. Emerson-Mathis.

Behavioural changes – Additional signs that dental disease may be present can be seen in changes in the way your dog eats; do they favour one side, are they actually chewing or just gulping down their food? Are they drooling or dropping food? Or are they showing a lessened appetite? All could be signs of a painful mouth.

Another sign that dental care may be required is a reduced amount of energy. Most times owners assume that since their dog is older, there is a natural slow down, but many times this lack of energy is caused by dental disease and the flow of bacteria throughout the body wearing them down.

Dr. Peter Mundschenk, DVM describes, “Many of the patients I have treated were “just slowing down” as reported by their owners.  We do have to remember that dogs and especially cats are very good at trying to hide issues until it overwhelms the body and we see severe clinical signs.  Yet when we look back and discuss with the owner, there were subtle signs that were just overlooked or dismissed as something else.”

Does my dog feel pain from dental disease?

The short answer is YES. One only has to think of how we feel when our teeth are affected to understand what our dogs must be going through. The difference is dogs are much better at hiding it. As the dental problems slowly escalate they manage to cope with the incremental pain and go on. Most times we won’t even know there is a problem until it becomes severe. It is our job as pet owners to understand and watch out for the signs so our dogs do not have to grin and bear it.

What steps can I take to improve the dental health of my senior dog?

While regular brushing and other at-home care is recommended to help reduce the risk of dental disease, once present , the primary treatment method is dental surgery. When a dog is older, the challenge of treating dental disease escalates and many fear the risks associated with anesthesia. However, with proper testing such as blood work, x-rays and even ultrasound you may be surprised to find that your dog can in fact safely undergo the surgery. Depending on the results from the tests your vet may recommend that a board certified veterinary anesthesiologist and board-certified dentist handle the procedure.

Dr. Mundschenk describes, “we have to remember that the bacteria and infection in the bone is doing more damage to the organs than anesthesia would do to the animal.  I have done my own dog with liver disease at the age of 14 years old, which was after removing a diseased gall bladder at age 12.  I firmly believe that whether it is an animal or human, age is not a disease.  We have the technology to give a quality of life to the elderly and we should not let them suffer.”

On a personal note, I myself have recently gone through this tough decision. My pug Mackenzie is 15 years old and had severe periodontal disease which was believed to be the cause of a chronic infection he had been fighting for years. Dental surgery was recommended when he was 12, but I was too afraid. Eventually, based on a much stronger recommendation from a group of vets I decided to pursue, but only after thorough testing. When the test results came back positive we went ahead and had the procedure done by a dental surgeon with an anesthesiologist present.  He came through with flying colours. He had 11 teeth extracted and they discovered that the infection was in his jaw bone. I learned that ‘pockets’ can form between the teeth and gums and once infected the only way to reach this is through extraction. For Mackenzie this meant that the antibiotics could now finally reach the source of the infection – something not possible prior to this procedure.

If our dogs would allow us to take x-rays of their mouths, and perform the necessary dental work like we as humans are able to do, then anesthesia would not be required, but unfortunately this is not the case. “Dental radiographs are often necessary to evaluate periodontal health in pets. We also polish the teeth after cleaning to smooth out the microscopic scratches from cleaning. None of these can be done safely without at least light anesthesia. Anesthesia-free dentistry makes the teeth look cosmetically better, but cannot address the sub-gingival area,” explains Dr. Gaddis.

Outside of surgery, owners can also benefit from some non-invasive methods of care.

Brushing Teeth– The value of brushing your dog’s teeth cannot be underestimated.  Dr. Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC describes, “Just committing to brushing 1-2 minutes once a week may dramatically help decrease the amount of plaque and tartar from building up.” While finger brushes can be purchased from most pet stores, Dr. Lee also says you can use a pair of pantyhose or 4X4 gauze wrapped around your finger to gently scrub all the vertical surfaces of your dog’s teeth.

Dental Chews – Some off-the-shelf dental chews have proven to be effective at reducing plaque and tartar build-up. Greenies® which has received the VOHC Seal of Acceptance, can be given on a daily basis and are particularly useful for dogs that make brushing nearly impossible.

Water Additives - VOHC accepted Healthy Mouth™ is a water additive that has been clinically proven to reduce plaque in dogs. Dr. Lee however cautions, “Chemical plaque control is pretty ineffectual in the long-term. Also if the altered taste decreases their water intake, your dog can become dehydrated which then brings on a whole lot of problems.”  If your dog continues to drink without issue, this option may be a worthwhile addition to your home care procedure.

While brushing, chews and additives are helpful in keeping your dog’s teeth and gums healthy, they are only part of the solution.  It is still recommended to get your dog in for a complete physical and lab work on a regular basis.

“If there is any evidence of periodontal disease on oral exam, the exam really needs to be completed with anesthesia so radiographs can be obtained to assess the degree and spread of disease under the gumline in order to treat and eliminate the infection.  This will decrease the damage to internal organs like the liver, kidney and heart and give the pet a longer quality life without pain. Then to help decrease the recurrence of disease, home care with these products is essential,” states Dr. Mundschenk.

But perhaps the biggest reason to treat dental disease is the impact it makes on the lives of our four-legged family members. After dental surgery most dogs recover within a few days, and most owners report that their dogs have a burst of energy they have not seen in quite some time. Some even report “puppy-like” behaviour. The relief from the pain and the removal of all that bacteria can certainly do wonders.

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

I find this grading system quite helpful because my clients can have a better understanding of their dog’s condition. In addition, I use it as guide when I recommend treatments. The following will be a brief description of the four grades along with their corresponding treatment options:

Grade 1 Dog Arthritis: This stage describes the beginning of dog arthritis. The damage to the cartilage is very small. X-rays and endoscopy will only reveal the softening of the cartilage tissue. Your dog will experience pain but it will be mild and will have little trouble concealing it.

Treatment: Weight loss, Physical therapy, Dietary supplements such as SAM-e, Low molecular weight chondroitin, and Glucosamine HCL), and preventive surgery (for dogs having and orthopedic condition).

Grade 2 Dog Arthritis: X-rays and endoscopy will reveal the beginnings of cracks in the cartilage and the growth of bone spurs. Your dog will be experiencing some intermittent mild lameness. Your dog will be experiencing some pain especially when the arthritic joint is touched. The joints will be slightly inflamed.

Treatment: Grade 1 dog arthritis treatments, Tramadol, and dietary supplements (Fish oil omega-3 and more)

Grade 3 Dog Arthritis: This grade refers to moderate to severe dog arthritis. X-rays and endoscopy will reveal bone spurs, thick fissures in the cartilage, and scar tissue around the joints. Your dog will be experiencing chronic pain and inflammation. The lameness will be more frequent and more pronounced.

Treatment: Grade 1 and 2 dog arthritis treatments, Neuropathic pain medicines (NMDA antagonists), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and more dietary supplements (anti-oxidants can help, as well as others).

Grade 4 Dog Arthritis: This grade refers to advanced dog arthritis. Your dog will most likely be near paralyzed because of intense chronic pain and inflammation of the joints. X-rays and endoscopy will show large bone spurs, extensive cartilage loss, “bone to bone” contact, and dense scar tissue around the affected joints.

Treatment: Grade 1, 2, and 3 dog arthritis as well as heavy duty treatments such as stem cell therapy or cortisone injections.

There is a LOT more that can be done but you need to be careful of the side effects and that you do not get confused by the amazing variety of supplements available. If you are interested in finding out more you should start by downloading my ebook “The Risks of Prescription Medicines in Dog Arthritis” which you can pick up for free from: http://www.dogarthritisplan.com

Wishing your dog the very best of health!

Dr. Christoper Durin is a veterinarian and creator of Dog Arthritis Blog, the authority site for dog arthritis.

As I approach the big 50, I notice that I don’t have the same tolerance for loud environments that I did 20 or even 10 years ago. You rarely find me in Costo, clubs, or even loud restaurants anymore. Partly due to the crowds, but mostly due to the loud sound environment. I go into sensory overload and shut down quickly, meaning I can’t focus, feel stressed, my body tenses, and I’m quickly looking for the exit sign to a quieter environment where I can breathe peacefully. Similarly, if I’ve had a very stressful day, I want to come home and either have complete silence (except for the sounds of the wildlife in my remote home setting), or turn on music with simple sounds, such as the music from Through a Dog’s Ear.

Currently, I have two dogs, both Labrador Retrievers. Sanchez is nearly eight years old and Gina is approaching 2 years. When I observe them, I notice that Sanchez doesn’t have the same tolerance for noise that he used to when he was younger. Growing up as a puppy in training for Guide Dogs for the Blind, he was socialized a great deal in public places and exposed to a wider variety of sound environments than most pet dogs. During my year as his volunteer puppy raiser, I brought him to six San Francisco Opera performances, and seven San Francisco Symphony concerts. He snoozed through most of it, except for a few startling sounds coming from the opera stage. When he was five years old, he acted the part of Helen Keller’s dog in the play “The Miracle Worker.” Although most people were impressed with his well-mannered talents on stage, what I found more remarkable was his calm, focused, confident demeanor back stage during the food fights and throwing of dishes on stage. Due to his breeding and early training, this just didn’t phase him. A few years later, I’m not sure I would say the same.

At 22 months, Gina is a bundle of happy energy and I’ve never seen her go into sensory overload, although there are many dogs her age that could and certainly do. I still reward her when she stays calm and focused on me during loud man made sounds, i.e. ambulance sirens, motorcycles, etc.; I can expose her to more stimulating sound environments without worrying about stressing her nervous system.

When Ann-Marie asked me to write a guest blog for DogQuality.com, I reflected on first conceiving the idea for creating music to help improve the quality of dogs lives (and their humans). It was during the final weeks of Byron’s life. A Golden Retriever who took his last breath a few months before his 14th birthday in 2003, he was my soul dog. Byron brought me into the dog world and I would have done anything for more time with him. Although Through a Dog’s Ear wasn’t yet created, it really was his passing that opened up the space for its birth.

Two years of clinical testing took place before we released our first CD, Music to Calm your Canine Companion Vol. 1. We’ve added an additional four CD’s to our music series since then, and dog lovers world-wide have played Through a Dog’s Ear music for their senior dogs. It has helped calmed dogs pre- and post-surgery, as well as aided in their healing process during recovery from an illness. Even dogs that have lost some of their hearing later in life, lie down and breathe easier when the music is playing.

Through a Dog’s Ear music is psychoacoustically designed to support you and your dog’s compromised immune or nervous system function. When the immune or nervous system is heavily taxed, as it so often is in senior dogs, a natural reaction is to self-limit the amount of auditory or visual stimulation coming into the system. That is why senior dogs will often shut down in over stimulating sound environments. The “nutrients” of sound are needed the most when life energy is at a low ebb or when neuro-developmental (including sensory) issues are present. To facilitate maximum sound intake while conserving energy output, we have created the method of “simple sound”.

Click here to listen to sound samples.

Have you noticed a change in how your dogs react to sound as they mature? Thanks for clicking comment below and sharing your story.

Lisa Spector

Through a Dog’s Ear, Co-Founder and Pianist on Music Series

I am offering my blog readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

About Us:

Lisa Spector is a concert pianist, Juilliard graduate, canine music expert, and Facebook coach. By combining her passion for music with her love of dogs, she co-created Through a Dog’s Ear, the first music clinically demonstrated to relieve anxiety issues in dogs. She shares her home and her heart with her two adorable “career change” Labrador Retrievers from Guide Dogs for the Blind, Sanchez and Gina. Follow Lisa’s blog here.