Elderly Pets???

[Irishgrrrl]

Does anyone else have a pet who is a "senior citizen"? Do they have any special needs and, if so, how do you and your family deal with them?

DH and I have three dogs and a horse. Our oldest dog, Biko (pronounced BEE-ko), is a black lab/pit bull mix and he''s about 13 years old. Next is Turbo, who is a black lab/we-don''t-know-what-else mix and she''s about 9 years old. Our youngest dog is Caesar, who is a pure bred Great Dane, and he will be 8 years old on December 19 of this year. Our horse, Red, is a Thoroughbred gelding, and he''s 17 years old.

Biko is doing pretty well, even though he is definitely a senior citizen. His health is great, and he still gets around very well, although he does have a very minor amount of arthritis. Turbo is still about middle-aged for a lab, and she''s completely healthy. Red is getting toward old age, but he is still doing fine as well. Caesar, our youngest kid, is the one that concerns me.

Although Caesar is only 7 years old (soon to be , that''s pretty old for a Dane. Giant breed dogs generally have much shorter life spans than smaller dogs do. I think I read somewhere that the average life expectancy for a Great Dane is about 10 to 12 years. Caesar is having some arthritis issues with his hips, and sometimes has trouble getting up and down our stairs. Also, when he''s been laying down, he sometimes has trouble getting back up. We do have him on a supplement that our vet recommended to help his arthritis, and that has helped quite a bit. (We''ve been giving it to Biko too, since he has a little arthritis as well.) Before we started him on this supplement (it''s called GF-600), he often would try to get up and just could not do it. He''d just sit there and whimper until DH or I came to help him. He doesn''t do that anymore, and seems to be having a little less trouble now that he''s been on this supplement for a while.

Also, he sometimes has "accidents" in the house. He almost NEVER pees in the house, but he does poop in the house a few times each week. I honestly think he just doesn''t realize that he needs to go and/or can''t hold it until he gets outside. Sometimes this happens while he''s laying down. It''s like he just doesn''t know it''s coming.

We do make sure he goes outside as often as possible. I work only a few blocks from the house, so I always come home on my lunch hour to let the dogs go outside. (We have a fenced yard.) I don''t think Caesar''s problem is caused by not being able to go outside often enough . . . I think he''s just losing control of his bowels as he ages. Is this relatively normal? Has anyone else had a pet with this problem? I guess I''m just hoping for some reassurance . . .

 

[Haven]

Oh, Emm, I''m so sorry.

I haven''t dealt with senior citizen dogs yet, but I felt like I was running a home for geriatric kitties a short while back and I definitely feel for you. We still have one little old lady and she needs a lot of care, but her quality of life is still great so we''re doing everything we can for her.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/30/2008 12:57:55 PM
Author: Haven
Oh, Emm, I''m so sorry.

I haven''t dealt with senior citizen dogs yet, but I felt like I was running a home for geriatric kitties a short while back and I definitely feel for you. We still have one little old lady and she needs a lot of care, but her quality of life is still great so we''re doing everything we can for her.

Thanks, Haven!

You know, you mentioned "quality of life." I think that''s a huge consideration for owners of older pets, and it''s something I try to keep a close eye on. Yes, Caesar has some arthritis and some incontinence, but he''s generally a pretty happy dog. As long as his quality of life is still good, we''re OK.

 

[Lorelei]

I would discuss this with your vet IG - there could be a lot they can do to make him comfortable, and give you advice on managing his condition. As to the pooping while lying down, I would definitely get your vet to check him over and discuss that with him, there could be much that can be done to help him!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/30/2008 1:41:45 PM
Author: Lorelei
I would discuss this with your vet IG - there could be a lot they can do to make him comfortable, and give you advice on managing his condition. As to the pooping while lying down, I would definitely get your vet to check him over and discuss that with him, there could be much that can be done to help him!

Thanks, Lorelei!

Our vet knows about his arthritis, and he is the one who recommended the joint supplement that Caesar is currently taking (which has helped a great deal). The vet told us that, if there comes a point where Caesar''s arthritis seems to be worsening, there are prescription arthritis meds that the vet can give him which will make him more comfortable. BUT, those meds have a tendency to upset some dogs'' stomachs, and Caesar has a VERY sensitive stomach! (He has always had periodic bouts of diarrhea. You have not lived until you''ve cleaned up Great Dane diarrhea from your carpets. It is truly a singular experience.

) So, of course, we''re trying to hold off on the arthritis meds as long as we can . . . fortunately, I don''t think he''s quite to the point where he needs them yet.

Regarding the incontinence issue (especially the pooping while laying down), we did mention that to our vet and he didn''t seem overly concerned. I''m wondering if there''s a prescription that might help him with this if it continues to be a problem? I don''t know if anything can be done for bowel incontinence in dogs?

 

[bee*]

Hi Irish! I have an elderly girl also although I hate thinking of her as that. Amber's 11.5 years but fortunately she still acts like a puppy and doesn't have any arthritis or other problems yet. She loves her walks and her grub still and I really hope that she stays like this for as long as she can.
In terms of medication for your dog's incontinence, the main drug that we prescribe is called Incurin. Not sure if you guys have it in the US, but it seems to be brilliant at stopping accidents in the house. It's mainly given out for speyed bitches if they have sphincter problems but the manufacturer advised us that it can be used in males too, it just mightn't work as well.
As you said, I think that quality of life is the main thing. So long as Amber's happy in herself I will do absolutely everything I can for her. I think there is a point that you just know that enough is enough and that is the time unfortunately when I'll have to say goodbye. I'm hoping it's not for years though.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/30/2008 1:48:34 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 10/30/2008 1:41:45 PM
Author: Lorelei
I would discuss this with your vet IG - there could be a lot they can do to make him comfortable, and give you advice on managing his condition. As to the pooping while lying down, I would definitely get your vet to check him over and discuss that with him, there could be much that can be done to help him!

Thanks, Lorelei!

Our vet knows about his arthritis, and he is the one who recommended the joint supplement that Caesar is currently taking (which has helped a great deal). The vet told us that, if there comes a point where Caesar's arthritis seems to be worsening, there are prescription arthritis meds that the vet can give him which will make him more comfortable. BUT, those meds have a tendency to upset some dogs' stomachs, and Caesar has a VERY sensitive stomach! (He has always had periodic bouts of diarrhea. You have not lived until you've cleaned up Great Dane diarrhea from your carpets. It is truly a singular experience.

) So, of course, we're trying to hold off on the arthritis meds as long as we can . . . fortunately, I don't think he's quite to the point where he needs them yet.

Regarding the incontinence issue (especially the pooping while laying down), we did mention that to our vet and he didn't seem overly concerned. I'm wondering if there's a prescription that might help him with this if it continues to be a problem? I don't know if anything can be done for bowel incontinence in dogs?

Hopefully Bee will see this and chime in...I was wondering if maybe a fibre supplement might help by bulking up the stool to act as an ' early warning' system for him...But I could be completely wrong, just trying to think of things which might help him!

ROFL - I see she just posted!

 

[bee*]

Hi Lorelei

More fiber in his diet would be great to help harden up his stools so that he might notice a bit more when he needs to defecate.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Bee* and Lorelei, thank you!

Bee*, hug Amber for me! She''s such a pretty girl . . . I love the pic in your avatar! And I''ll definitely have to ask our vet about the incontinence meds. I don''t mind cleaning up poop every once in a while if I have to, and we never get mad at Caesar when he makes a mess because we know he doesn''t mean to, but it would be nice if we could reduce (or maybe even eliminate) this problem!

Lorelei, the fiber supplements are a great idea! We might have to give that a try too!

 

[bee*]

Hugs given!! She''s lying beside me now tucked up with Manolo. I can totally understand that it would be better if you didn''t have to clean up any messes. Hopefully they''ll have something similar to what we sell in our clinic over here.

I''ll have to take some photos of Amber-there was a huge pet expo in Dublin two weeks ago and Amber did meet and greet on the doors and her pay was that she got two HUGE doggie beds so now it''s all I can do to drag her out of them. They''re so comfy

 

[Matata]

Gosh -- maybe you need to get a 2nd opinion. Incontinence can be caused by a whole lot of things, some age-related and others not. There are neurological problems, chronic kidney failure, inflammatory issues w/the colon, spinal cord injury, etc. Even if there is something wrong that is not curable, it''s best to know what you''re dealing with.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Wow, Bee*! Sounds like Amber had a great time! I''m glad she''s enjoying her doggy beds, and I''d love to see some pics of her and Manolo if you have any!!!

Matata, thanks for the reply! When we mentioned this issue to our vet, it was during one of Caesar''s episodes of diarrhea, so I think the vet might have assumed that the incontinence would improve when the diarrhea improved . . . and that was true. However, now that the diarrhea is gone (thank GOD!), Caesar is still having these accidents. Not nearly as often, but it''s still happening. I think I''ll have to talk to our vet about it again and see what he says. If he still doesn''t seem worried, it might be time for a second opinion.

 

[dragonfly411]

Emm - we had a Sheltie who lost control of his bowels in his old age, and was really pretty immobile towards the end. We had to clean him up when accidents happened. It was sad. We ended up putting him to sleep not long after this. I think it does happen in old age. SO''s mom has a dog who goes in the house sometimes, and she is super old *19* and we know she just can''t help it. I''m sorry he''s going through this. Could you maybe leave him outside in the day, or would he be unhappy?

I work around several goldie oldies! My grandmother has a lab who is 11 and shows it, lol she''s so old. I have an 18 year old arabian who at this point only eats senior or sweet feed, and only wetted down. I''m thinking of switching him to a beet mash with it because he''s getting a little piqued. I don''t like that. He gets coastal all day, grass, and feed twice a day. I think he just needs extra now. SO''s mom has the 18 year old, a 15 year old and a 12 year old all dogs, she has a 32 year old horse (quarter horse) and a nineteen year old quarter horse. So I get to play with all of them.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/30/2008 1:59:02 PM
Author: bee*
Hi Lorelei

More fiber in his diet would be great to help harden up his stools so that he might notice a bit more when he needs to defecate.

Hi BeeStar!!

Thats what I was wondering, thanks! I am trying to remember the name of a fibre additive I had seen used in the past, is it Peridale or something? IG it might be well worth a try, sometimes simple things can make a lot of difference.

Glad to hear darling Mupsies is doing well, how is that naughty boy???

DF - for your Arabian chappie, sugar beet pulp is easy to eat, palatable and a good conditioner. I have heard you normally feed it dry in the US, we always soak it here in the UK and now you can get a quick to prepare formula called SpeediBeet. Add hot water and it is ready in 5 mins, plus it is a good way to get extra fluid into them. If he is getting a little fussy with his food, then this might be well worth a try.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Dragonfly, I'm sorry to hear about your Sheltie. My boss has a Sheltie . . . they are such wonderful dogs. Unfortunately, we can't leave Caesar outside while we're at work. He would bark nonstop! LOL! But, his accidents don't happen all that often. We've gone most of this week without any, so maybe things are improving a bit? And WOW to your SO's mom's 32-year-old QH!!! That's great! Have you heard of Elmer Bandit, the competitive trail horse who is in his 30s? I'm a big fan of his!

Lorelei, I think I will check into the fiber supplements. It can't hurt, and it might just help him. Thanks again!

ETA: Oh, and about the beet pulp . . . we do wet it sometimes here in the US, especially if beet pulp is all the horse is eating. However, if the beet pulp is mixed into sweet feed or a pelleted feed, we normall do not wet it. Of course, being a TB owner, I'm paranoid about using beet pulp! It supposedly gives them A LOT of energy, and most TBs already have plenty (as Lorelei probably knows)! LOL!

 

[mia1181]

Oliver is bordering on the incontinent side also. His is mainly bladder incontinence, he pees when he gets excited and sometimes leaks in the house if we don''t get him out in time. But since he can still pee on demand outside he still has a lot of control. In the morning we have to get him right outside, we carry him and we might make it halfway down the stair before he starts going (both 1 and 2). Anyway I asked the vet if this was because of his paralysis, but he seems to think its probably more his age (7). We did have a scare a few weaks ago when Oliver had diarrhea. It was horrible because we had to put a diaper on him but the weight of the diaper meant he couldn''t walk at all

. Anyway the vet said that when it becomes a problem the first thing we will do is adjust his diet. Then if that doesn''t work we can try meds. So I''d start with diet first and then see if you need meds.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/30/2008 3:16:35 PM
Author: mia1181
Oliver is bordering on the incontinent side also. His is mainly bladder incontinence, he pees when he gets excited and sometimes leaks in the house if we don''t get him out in time. But since he can still pee on demand outside he still has a lot of control. In the morning we have to get him right outside, we carry him and we might make it halfway down the stair before he starts going (both 1 and 2). Anyway I asked the vet if this was because of his paralysis, but he seems to think its probably more his age (7). We did have a scare a few weaks ago when Oliver had diarrhea. It was horrible because we had to put a diaper on him but the weight of the diaper meant he couldn''t walk at all

. Anyway the vet said that when it becomes a problem the first thing we will do is adjust his diet. Then if that doesn''t work we can try meds. So I''d start with diet first and then see if you need meds.

Mia, does Oliver have any trouble pottying now that he''s in his new wheelchair? Or do you take him out of his chair for potty breaks? Just wondering about the logistics of that! LOL!

And Caesar is the same way about needing to go outside RIGHT AWAY when he wakes up in the morning. Those are the only times we have pee accidents, when he doesn''t get to the back door in time right after he wakes up in the morning. But those times are very rare, fortunately!

 

[dragonfly411]

Date: 10/30/2008 3:00:17 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Dragonfly, I''m sorry to hear about your Sheltie. My boss has a Sheltie . . . they are such wonderful dogs. Unfortunately, we can''t leave Caesar outside while we''re at work. He would bark nonstop! LOL! But, his accidents don''t happen all that often. We''ve gone most of this week without any, so maybe things are improving a bit? And WOW to your SO''s mom''s 32-year-old QH!!! That''s great! Have you heard of Elmer Bandit, the competitive trail horse who is in his 30s? I''m a big fan of his!

Lorelei, I think I will check into the fiber supplements. It can''t hurt, and it might just help him. Thanks again!

ETA: Oh, and about the beet pulp . . . we do wet it sometimes here in the US, especially if beet pulp is all the horse is eating. However, if the beet pulp is mixed into sweet feed or a pelleted feed, we normall do not wet it. Of course, being a TB owner, I''m paranoid about using beet pulp! It supposedly gives them A LOT of energy, and most TBs already have plenty (as Lorelei probably knows)! LOL!

Yep yep I know of Elmer Bandit - I have friends in the endurance circles. My belief is so long as they''re happy, let em keep trucking. My old trainer had a horse who was 32 and stayed in walk trot lessons until he was about 35. That''s when he dropped his weight and they finally decided to let him go

He was a HOOT, total attitude, but put a five year old on him and he was a complete angel!! SO''s mom''s is retired at this point. He''s lower in weight, but only recently so, and you can tell it''s mainly the old part, he''s shiny, perky, runs around, he''s just old and his body is sinking towards the ground haha, so his back and a little ribs show He gets 2 big scoops of senior feed, beet pulp AND a joint supplement twice a day and hay all day, and he''s just as spunky as ever. The 19 year old has one eye, he lost the other to cancer, neat neat and very intelligent horse. They have a 5 year old mare as well... she''s a brat.

I am glad to hear his accidents are less frequent, that helps at least. As for arthritis, baby aspirin works miracles and is safe for them! I worked at a vet center and they recommended it when the dogs were having off days

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/30/2008 4:26:39 PM
Author: dragonfly411

Yep yep I know of Elmer Bandit - I have friends in the endurance circles. My belief is so long as they''re happy, let em keep trucking. My old trainer had a horse who was 32 and stayed in walk trot lessons until he was about 35. That''s when he dropped his weight and they finally decided to let him go

He was a HOOT, total attitude, but put a five year old on him and he was a complete angel!! SO''s mom''s is retired at this point. He''s lower in weight, but only recently so, and you can tell it''s mainly the old part, he''s shiny, perky, runs around, he''s just old and his body is sinking towards the ground haha, so his back and a little ribs show He gets 2 big scoops of senior feed, beet pulp AND a joint supplement twice a day and hay all day, and he''s just as spunky as ever. The 19 year old has one eye, he lost the other to cancer, neat neat and very intelligent horse. They have a 5 year old mare as well... she''s a brat.

I am glad to hear his accidents are less frequent, that helps at least. As for arthritis, baby aspirin works miracles and is safe for them! I worked at a vet center and they recommended it when the dogs were having off days

Hey, thanks for the tip about the baby aspirin! I hadn''t thought of that!

Old horses are the best, aren''t they? They''re so "been there, done that"! LOL! The barn where I teach has several "senior citizens" who are still wonderful lesson horses. We had a little Welsh pony mare by the name of Dragon who was about 35 when she finally passed away last year. She was a trip! We didn''t even have to lead her in from her pasture at feeding time . . . all we had to do was open the gate and open her stall door and she brought herself in! LOL!

 

[mia1181]

Date: 10/30/2008 3:23:36 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Mia, does Oliver have any trouble pottying now that he''s in his new wheelchair? Or do you take him out of his chair for potty breaks? Just wondering about the logistics of that! LOL!

And Caesar is the same way about needing to go outside RIGHT AWAY when he wakes up in the morning. Those are the only times we have pee accidents, when he doesn''t get to the back door in time right after he wakes up in the morning. But those times are very rare, fortunately!

I was really worried he wouldn''t be able to potty but he pooped right away in it! In fact the video of me putting him in is actually "take-two" I had to start over because the first time he started pooping while I was strapping him in! Ha! I saved the first video for DH! It was just funny because the camera was pointed right at his behind and then suddenly you see something emerging, and then my reaction!

Sorry if that''s too graphic for you I''m a nanny so I am used to tons of poop talk!

He peed too but it''s hard to tell when he is doing it because he can''t squat or anything.

 

[bee*]

Date: 10/30/2008 2:37:20 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 10/30/2008 1:59:02 PM

Author: bee*

Hi Lorelei

More fiber in his diet would be great to help harden up his stools so that he might notice a bit more when he needs to defecate.

Hi BeeStar!!

Thats what I was wondering, thanks! I am trying to remember the name of a fibre additive I had seen used in the past, is it Peridale or something? IG it might be well worth a try, sometimes simple things can make a lot of difference.


Glad to hear darling Mupsies is doing well, how is that naughty boy???

Yeah we sell Peridale in our clinic too. It bulks up the stools so that they don''t get a watery consistency.

The naughty boy is naughty-but oh so beautiful! He''s like a proper cat now and as I type he''s coming over for kisses. He''s getting his big op done on Satuday week, poor little pudding. I have an essay hand up tomorrow but I''ll take some more photos of them tomorrow. How are all of your babies?

 

[dragonfly411]

Arkie was that way going in and out. He was a riot

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/30/2008 5:01:43 PM
Author: mia1181

I was really worried he wouldn''t be able to potty but he pooped right away in it! In fact the video of me putting him in is actually ''take-two'' I had to start over because the first time he started pooping while I was strapping him in! Ha! I saved the first video for DH! It was just funny because the camera was pointed right at his behind and then suddenly you see something emerging, and then my reaction!

Sorry if that''s too graphic for you I''m a nanny so I am used to tons of poop talk!

He peed too but it''s hard to tell when he is doing it because he can''t squat or anything.

LOL! Mia, I''m glad he was comfortable with it right away . . . I was very impressed by how fast he caught on! There was a point in the video where he gets this look on his face like, "Oh, OK, so THAT''S how this thing works!" And it''s nice that he can "go" while he''s in his chair, so you guys don''t have to rush to get him out of it when it looks like he needs to potty. That''s too funny about the video! Hee hee!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Hey, Irish, so sorry to hear about Ceasar!

Byron''s hips are great, but we supplement him with glucocomine and chondroitin as well--we are constantly around other Newfoundland owners and we have all tried many different brands and kinds...which supplements are you using and which brand are you using?

I think a high fiber diet is a good idea--canned pumpkin is my favorite source for fiber.

Good luck!!

 

[Kaleigh]

Irish,
You've gotten lots of great advice. I hope your vet finds the right meds for Ceaser. I have two dogs, Casper is 13. He is aging rapidly, not being able to jump up on the sofa, or the bed. He's got cataracts, but can see pretty well. I have done tests to test his vision, he can see me throw a chew toy, it lands on a soft carpet, far from where he is, and fetches it. I don't want him to have eye surgery just yet. It's very painful , and we are not there for now.

Callie is 9. She's had 3 surgeries for bladder stones. She's on a very strict diet. Plus she has knees that dislocate all the time. Now she has a growth under her nose, that has to be removed next Wednesday. I am going through the ringer with them, but they make me soooo happy. I wish you the best going foward with your doggies and horse. I had a pony, he broke his leg just after we ought him, he went to the Newbolten center and came back good as new. My dad freaked at the bill, but that's how it goes....

You live in Philly or outiside? I love University Of Pennsylvanias Vet hospital, they did a great job for Callie.

Best wishes to you and your senior citizens.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

NEL and Kaleigh, thank you!

NEL, I have heard of Dane owners giving their Danes canned pumpkin to settle their stomachs, but I didn''t think of using that as a fiber supplement! Great idea! As I mentioned, Danes have very sensitive stomachs and Caesar is no exception. He does have diarrhea from time to time, and it sounds like the canned pumpkin might help both his stomach and his incontinence issues. I''ll definitely have to give that a try! The joint supplement he''s on is called GlycoFlex GF-600. It''s made with green-lipped mussels of all things! Yes, mussels . . . the shellfish! LOL! But, hey, whatever works, right?

Kaleigh, hugs to you and your doggies! I hope Callie''s surgery goes well, and I hope Casper doesn''t need cataract surgery for a looong time to come! And yes, the New Bolton Center is wonderful. I''m lucky to live where I do, because we have quite a few first-rate veterinary hospitals in our area, many of which specialize in horses. It''s comforting to know that Red can get whatever care he needs, whenever he might need it. I don''t live very close to Philly . . . we''re about halfway between Philly and Pittsburgh. (About an hour or so south of Harrisburg, if that helps.)

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Ah, the curse of the dog with a sensitive stomach! I completely understand, Byron has a very sensitive stomach as well--in fact, we''ve been to the vet to try to remedy it many a time. Canned pumpkin is the only thing that really works for Byron when he has diahrrea--it seems counter-intuitive to give a dog something so high in fiber when he already has the runs, but it really does help to thicken the consistency and get him back to normal. We also give him plain yogurt with every meal to soothe his stomach--for awhile we tried Pepcid AC to keep his stomach settled per our vet''s suggestion, but the yogurt does a much better job.

Okay, so on to the Glyco-Flex. I have talked with a couple of vets who swear by Glyco-Flex, but every breeder I know and many members of my regional newf club say that it does not help their dog at all. I think we used it for about 3 months when Byron was younger and though we only use the gluc./chon. as a preventative, I would notice that on the Glyco-Flex he would get stiff after a longer hike (5 - 10 miles). At that time, many of my newf friends were starting to get Cosequin DS, which is the highest grade of gluc./chon. you can get (for dogs and horses) and really does make a difference. That became the supplement of choice among the breeders and owners I know. Then the owner of my health food store told me about Cosamin DS, which is the human-grade form of Cosequin DS and is an even finer grade. Because we have human-sized dogs, we could just give the normal dosage. So now many of us buy the Cosamin DS from Costco and even I can see a big difference. Byron never gets stiff in his hips and my friends who do have hip problems in their dogs swear by it.

Again, I always say to use whatever works for your dog, but I''d say at least 5 of my favorite breeders and at least a dozen of us owners are loving the human-grade Cosamin DS.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/31/2008 9:33:08 AM
Author: NewEnglandLady
Ah, the curse of the dog with a sensitive stomach! I completely understand, Byron has a very sensitive stomach as well--in fact, we''ve been to the vet to try to remedy it many a time. Canned pumpkin is the only thing that really works for Byron when he has diahrrea--it seems counter-intuitive to give a dog something so high in fiber when he already has the runs, but it really does help to thicken the consistency and get him back to normal. We also give him plain yogurt with every meal to soothe his stomach--for awhile we tried Pepcid AC to keep his stomach settled per our vet''s suggestion, but the yogurt does a much better job.

Okay, so on to the Glyco-Flex. I have talked with a couple of vets who swear by Glyco-Flex, but every breeder I know and many members of my regional newf club say that it does not help their dog at all. I think we used it for about 3 months when Byron was younger and though we only use the gluc./chon. as a preventative, I would notice that on the Glyco-Flex he would get stiff after a longer hike (5 - 10 miles). At that time, many of my newf friends were starting to get Cosequin DS, which is the highest grade of gluc./chon. you can get (for dogs and horses) and really does make a difference. That became the supplement of choice among the breeders and owners I know. Then the owner of my health food store told me about Cosamin DS, which is the human-grade form of Cosequin DS and is an even finer grade. Because we have human-sized dogs, we could just give the normal dosage. So now many of us buy the Cosamin DS from Costco and even I can see a big difference. Byron never gets stiff in his hips and my friends who do have hip problems in their dogs swear by it.

Again, I always say to use whatever works for your dog, but I''d say at least 5 of my favorite breeders and at least a dozen of us owners are loving the human-grade Cosamin DS.

NEL, THANK YOU!!! It''s so nice to have all of this advice from a fellow large dog owner!

I''m glad Byron''s hips are doing well on the Cosamin DS. Like you said, since we have human-sized dogs, we can just give them the people dosage! Makes life pretty convenient, huh? And, the added benefit is, I could use it for my arthritis too! I''ll definitely have to give this stuff a try!

That''s interesting that Newfs have sensitive stomachs too . . . I thought it was just Dane owners who had to deal with that curse! And it IS a curse when that human-sized dog has diarrhea all over your house, am I right?!?!

I had been thinking about using plain yogurt for Caesar''s incontinence problems and to lessen his diarrhea (which happens pretty infrequently these days as it is, but still). So maybe I''ll have to start mixing both canned pumpkin and plain yogurt into his food. Does Byron like the taste of the pumpkin and yogurt, or does he kinda "pick around it"? Caesar isn''t a very picky eater, so I''m hoping we won''t have a problem. How much pumpkin and yogurt to you guys give Byron at each feeding, and about how much does he weigh? Caesar is around 115 to 120 pounds right now, and we''re trying to get him to gain just a little weight. We don''t want him to gain too much though, because that would add to the stress on his hips.

Also, I don''t know how often Byron gets the runs, but our vet gave us some Kaolin-Pectin solution for dogs and it works WONDERS!!! It''s similar to KaoPectate for humans, but there''s something in the human version that dogs aren''t supposed to have, and the doggy version that we get from the vet doesn''t have that certain something. Also, it''s CHEAP! I think a large bottle only costs about $5 or so. We have an oral syringe that we use to give it to Caesar. Of course, he DESPISES that oral syringe with a heated passion, and he likes to spit his medicine all over me and his Daddy and the floor and anyone/anything within a 50-foot radius! LOL! So, we have just top-dressed his food with the KP solution and that has worked well. He''s not thrilled about eating it, but he wants his food so he deals with it. LOL!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Hey, Irish, so sorry I didn''t reply--we are in Niagara Falls this weekend...for Byron. We thought he might want to see the falls because we are insane.

Oh my gosh, the diahrrea all over the house is the WORST. It''s only happened to us 3 times, but it''s been absolutley awful each time. Last time it was from drinking stagnant water (too much bacteria in his stomach).

We only give about 1/2 c. of yogurt to keep byron''s stomach settled with each meal. The pumpkin we only use if we notice his poop is watery/runny.

Thanks so much for the info. on Kaolin-Pectin, I will definitely keep that in mind since I have no doubt we will probalby have another diahrrea episode somewhere down the road. Keep me up to date on Ceasar, I hope he starts feeling better--you guys sound like wonderful pet owners and all of your pets sound wonderful!! I''m so jealous of the horse, I would give ANYTHING to have a horse, but for now I just take lessons so I can ride one every week or two.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

LOL! Don''t worry, NEL . . . you guys are no more insane than DH and I are!

About the diarrhea . . . one thing that sets it off REALLY BAD is vinca. You know, that vine that gets really pretty little purple flowers on it? We have some growing along the side of our house, near our basement windows. Well, it managed to grow INTO the basement window once, and Caesar ate some before we even realized it was there. OMG, it was AWFUL!!! At least our other two dogs didn''t eat any, because they aren''t nearly as tall as Caesar is and they couldn''t reach it. Fortunately, he was fine, but the diarrhea was just unbelievable! Definitely keep Byron far, FAR AWAY from vinca!!!

Thanks for the info on the yogurt and pumpkin . . . we''ll definitely have to try that!

And I''m glad to hear you''re taking riding lessons! That''s what I did to get my horse fix before I bought Red. I''ve been riding since I was really little, but Red is my first horse and I''ve only owned him for two years. I got him when I was 28!

Have fun in NF this weekend! I hope Byron has a great time!