Comfort for our aging pets is important not only to us but the their well-being also. Keeping our senior dogs pain free is one way we can provide a better experience for our senior pets during their elderly years. The first step to keeping senior pets pain free is recognizing when they are actually in pain and to gauge the degree of that pain, however this may be difficult since they cannot speak to us. We can however look for signs of pain and by judging the reaction to that pain determine how strong and deep the pain actually is. Some signs of pain to look out for are, stiffness when attempting to rise, slow movements when going up and down stairs or off and on furniture, trembling when standing or sitting, sitting in an odd position and gait abnormality when walking. We may also see a lowered appetite and weight loss if the pain is extremely severe. Once it is determined that your dog is showing signs of pain a visit to the veterinarian is the next step. Sometimes pain in joints and other areas mean arthritis caused from age, however it also can be a sign of an unseen injury. The veterinarian will determine the cause of pain and the method of treatment. There are some great pain medications on the market to help our aging dogs be more comfortable and if arthritis is the diagnosis there are several medications that can be prescribed for your beloved dog. The veterinarian may suggest over the counter supplements be given for joint swelling and pain to add to a
This disease can have multiple different effects on canines including a strange or wobbly gait, neck pain and stiffness, weakness, possibly unable to walk including partial or complete paralysis, possible muscle loss near the shoulders, possible worn or scuffed toenails from uneven walking, increased extension of all four limbs, and difficulty getting up from lying position. To diagnose wobblers syndrome besides viewing the obvious visual symptoms such as the wobbly gait, weakness and pain a veterinarian will do multiple different test including taking x-rays and MRIs. Once the animal has been diagnosed with this disease there is a couple different treatment options from medical options to surgical options. The non -surgical management may allow some stabilization of the condition for a short period. It is only recommended in dogs with mild pathology or small disc bulges and very slow disease progression. There are a few different non-surgical options available including exercise modification which consists of absolute rest in the short term and modified exercise in the long term, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, manipulative therapies which can range from laser therapy, ultrasound therapy, and even
According to Florida Statute 413.08-2d, a service dog is, “an animal that is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”
The aberration of the old dog was starting to become unusual so the owners had to take him to the vets office.
When you are seeking medical information regarding your pets, you want to make sure that you are getting the most up-to-date and credible input. Healthcare management and prevention for pets is evolving in the same fast-paced way as it is for humans. It is hard to keep up with new treatments and medications.
LubriSyn hyaluronic acid tend to provide the missing parts that dog’s joints need to stay healthy. This method has been
Paws and Claws House Sitting Service is designed to make your time away from home worry-free! Coming home from a vacation to find accidents all over the house from pets can make future trips away from home stressful. But with this housesitting service there is nothing to worry about. Being a pet owner, the importance of the wellbeing of your pets while your away is clear to me. Living with cats for a while and soon a dog, animals have played an extremely important role in our lives which is why the care of your animals is our number one priority. If you do not have any pets but would still benefit from a regular house sitter, worry not! We will still care for your home while you are gone and provide you with regular updates so you can relax.
Old age or even surgery should not keep a good dog down. Without walkers or wheelchairs at their disposal, dogs still need to be able to get up and around despite the pain of chronic diseases or surgery. Often, dietary supplements and bone and joint medications are their best hope.
Then, your vet will conduct a physical exam in order to get an assessment of your dog’s condition. They may take x-rays of your dog’s knees as well in order to get a better assessment of what is going on.
The article I reviewed discussed a study of the body shape and alignment in a breed of dogs called Great Danes. Some of the dogs had a disease called Cervical Spondylomyelopathy, commonly known as Wobbler Syndrome or CSM, and some of them were perfectly normal and healthy. The cause of this disease is unknown but many believe that it is a mix of large breed dogs having a large and heavy head and long neck which can cause irregular forces on the vertebrae of the neck. The study included 15 dogs with Wobblers and 15 dogs who had no clinical signs of wobblers. In the beginning stages, wobblers causes dogs to have a funny, “wobbly” walk in their back legs and they will seem extra clumsy. This study used MRI scans to determine that there were no distinct differences in dogs with Wobbler Syndrome verses those who are healthy. This finding disproved the original hypothesis that it is caused by a large head and long neck.
Joint anguish and arthritis, with it's many variations and names afflicts us as we age. We cannot discontinue the aging in years, however we do have control over lots of our body components and how they perform as we grow older. The substitute of getting ancient just isn't very attractive. I, for one, am no longer competent to take the eternal dust nap. Nor am I in a position to grow to be motionless; and, i am definite you aren't either. Undertaking is without doubt one of the primary things that we can do to stay active and cellular. I'm reminded of the old adage: the more you do the more you want to do; and, the opposite is true as good: the less you do, the less you wish to have to do. Are you ready to exercise and shrink your joint suffering and turn out to be a more lively character?
In an elderly home, residents are often found by themselves, with lack of interaction with others. Consequently, this leads to agitation, anxiety and depression which put them into a vicious cycle of lethargy, increased sleeping and minimal interaction. Other rehab activities such as speech, physical and occupational therapy can be repetitive and uneventful (Jackson, D. L., 2006). Unlike other interventions such as reading and listening to music, AAT provides the elders with chance to interact with an animate being (Sellers, 2004). This alters the elders’ environment thus, putting them in state of immediate intimacy creating bridge for the therapist
When someone gets sick, it is obvious that they want a loved one with them. That loved one could include a four-legged pal with some whiskers. There are multiple individuals who prefer these whiskered friends by their side on their hospital bed rather than another individual. That is s where the controversy commences. Should pets be allowed in hospitals with their owners or should they stay at home? Researchers have revealed that having a pet visit while hospitalized, the patient’s mood is more likely to brighten and reduce the duration of the hospital stay. A number of hospitals around the country are allowing pets to visit their owners and are resulting in great outcomes. The director of Pastoral Care Services at the University of Maryland
Evidence on the physiological effect of pets documented reveal that when a pet is introduced into a nursing home, the residents become more alert and others even smile back instantly. If the pet is allowed to stay with them, the residents who previously were physically aggressive became calm and allowed company. Some residents at the nursing homes do not get visitors regularly or at all thus pets seems to kill this loneliness and provide the love and attention that is key to survival and happiness. The reason dogs are appreciated by patients and residents at nursing home is because dogs do not see a broken arm or the ugly scars; all they want is to be shown love and attention which is reciprocated (Holistic therapy.com, 2010).
Animal assisted therapy can be used with elderly residents in a long term care facility. Long Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) are facilities that provide 24-hour care by nursing staff for individuals who are no longer able to provide care for themselves. These facilities offer assistance with medication management, activities of daily living (e.g., bathing, dressing, toileting, meals) and any additional medical care required (Kendziorski & Treacy, 1999). Also referred to as: nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities. Many residents of long-term care facilities regard their former pets as having been members of the family (Savishinsky, 2010). Elderly residents of long-term care may not receive as much human touch and
Arthritis is defined as the inflammation in joints causing the them to become stiff, less flexible, and painful (Simmers). Millions of adults and half of all people over the age 65 are distressed by this ailment along with the other forms of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when an individual's cartilage begins to deteriorate allowing the bones to rub together. This is most often diagnosed in the excessively used hands, neck, and lower back, as well as the weight-bearing knees and hips. When diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, the body attacks the lining of a joint leading to inflammation in it. Rheumatoid arthritis does not just attack the joints, but it also attacks significant organs. (“Senior”) To reduce arthritis pain experienced by a person, increased physical activity and self-management education is suggested (“Arthritis”). Osteoporosis, a condition in which bones lose calcium and other minerals, accounts for bone embrittlement. According to Jeffrey Curtis and Monika Safford, “It has been estimated that ten million people in the United States alone have osteoporosis, with almost thirty-four million more having low bone mass. The elderly population accounts for most of the burden, with seventy percent of all fractures sustained by those aged at least 65 years.” (Curtis) These diseases create problems because seniors can easily fall and encounter trouble with fine finger movements leading to extra visits to the hospital. Older adults with arthritis tend to seek care from physical therapists to assist in mobility and flexibility of the joints to alleviate