Our local paper just had a story about a greyhound who turned 20 and is still going strong. The secret to her long life was attributed to a homemade diet and lots of attention.
We are happy to report that our little Schipperke Darby just turned 14 and seems to have gained a new lease on life since receiving regular shots of Adequan to alleviate arthritis. It wasn't long ago that she could barely climb in and out of her dog bed. Now she runs (even gallops!) like she's a young pup again. No one can believe she's 14 because she looks and acts half her age.
Other than mild cataracts, some hearing loss, and the arthritis, the vet says her blood work, heart and other vital organs are showing no signs of imminent disease. He says our diligence in keeping her teeth clean have paid off, since poor dental health is a huge factor in canine heart problems. "Healthy teeth = a healthy heart!" (applies to us humans too).
Would love to hear from other senior dog owners whose "babies" are still in reasonably good health and are seemingly defying their age. What are their longevity secrets? Ours are a high quality diet with healthy people food, a wonderful holistic vet, some herbal and vitamin supplementation, regular dental care and just some good Schipperke genes. Oh, and showering her with plenty of love!
I read that story in the Bradenton Hearld a couple of weeks ago, quite impressive that a dog that large beat all the odds to be that old.
We only had one large dog get somewhat close, we had to put her to sleep one week shy of 17, she was a mix, black lab Mom and Golden Retriever Dad, she had a large inoperable tumor in her esophagus.
We had a toy poodle named Timmy that lived to one month shy of his 18th birthday and began to fail, his heart and kidneys, he had a great life.
Both had good vet care, always kept up on their dental work, neither got vitamins or supplements, good diet and exercise....
& the most important of all...lots and lots of TLC and LOVE.
Andy was 16 when he died, unless he was 17. Not sure... vet said he was 2 or 3, probably 3, when I got him. I said "probably 2!" and had him for fourteen years. Pretty impressive for a dog his size (75 pounds, collie/shep/afghan mix) and considering he was dang near dead when I got him. Worst case of demodex my vet had ever seen, massive skin infections, and emaciated to boot.
The big improvement in his health came when I shifted him to a raw diet. That's when he licked the chronic demodex and got off the meds. Good food, lots of love and physical activity... and obviously some good mutt genes... kept him going for a long time.
My beagle mix was somewhere in the 18 to 21 range when she went. Again she was a stray and the vet said 5 to 8 years when I got her, they thought closer to 8. She ate... whatever... for a long time, then Science Diet when that came out and was the "primo" food. Oh and she got the chewy vitamins, forget what they were called. But the vet looked at her and said "whatever you're doing keep it up." Years later, back in CA, she was referred to by another vet as "the eternal beagle."
Dusty, our chi/silky terrier mix growing up, was 18 when he was snatched by something. He'da gone on for years otherwise. But for a small dog, that's not so unusual.
Feed them right, keep them active, minimize exposure to toxins, don't over vaccinate and love them to pieces... what else can you do?
susan
What I want to know is, when are they going to start selling Comfort Zone for HUMANS????? 'Cause some days...
Our current German Shepherd is just shy of 14 so far. We think the fact that she walks a mile every other day (every day, up until last year) makes a difference. Also no food or vitamins made in China (same for us).
She loves camping even now. If we fool with the trailer, she lies in front of it! Nobody leaves without her.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Lovely German Shepherd.
1999 Mercedes ML320 TV
2003 Wanderer 187TB Toybox (3620# UVW, 4800# loaded) Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories. I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
My beagle/spaniel is 15. She hikes, camps (including tent camping) and I just signed her up for an agility class! She also rules my 2 year old German Shepherd with an iron paw.
How do we do it? A lifetime of activity. We're outdoors people and she's always been active. She eats a grain-free diet of premium kibble mixed with home cooked food and veggies (not human food that's just our cast-off dinners. I cook specifically for her). She had ACL surgery on both of her knees in 2001 (bilateral TPLO), and she's taken glucosamine/chondroitin supplements every night since then. That, along with her diet, has seemed to have prevented any arthritis. She has a bit of arthritis in her toes, but that's it. Her snacks are limited to high quality (not from China) dehydrated meat like Merrick or Canz. Occasionally, she can have a few Cheerios...and a bite of cheese pizza. She loves pizza.
I run a full blood panel on her every six months, so any changes can be caught quickly. She's on a very low-dose of thyroid medicine (thyroid issues are common in beagles. Hers didn't appear until she was about 14 years old). She has recently developed a 1/6 heart murmur that could continue at that low range for years. But I'll continue to monitor that on a 6 month interval as well.
Otherwise, she is happy, feisty, healthy, and raring to go. When we go camping, she's the first on the path, and blazes new trails. She still chases squirrels and follows her nose. In camp, she's the first in the tent, burrowed in her sleeping bag after dinner and out for the night....But the first to wake up and get going in the morning, especially when she sniffs deer at the edge of the campsite.
At home, it takes her a long time to walk around the block. She's not as fast as she used to be. And she has to sniff every meeting post, just to see what all the other dogs are up to. We jog around the yard, doing laps, to make sure she still gets her cardio exercise. She swims in water therapy once a week.
The secret? There isn't one, but several. An Excellent grain free and varied diet (grains contribute to arthritis). *Regular* veterinary care to catch little things before they become big things. Lots of exercise -- as much cardio physical exercise as she can reasonably tolerate. But also MENTAL exercise to keep her brain sharp. When I train my younger dog, she sits alongside them and does the tasks as well. She loves it (she gets snacks!) and it keeps her brain active. Getting out of the yard and seeing new things. Going for rides; going to the vet's office to say hi to her friends there when we refill her prescription; going to the pet store; going to new and different parks and other locations. Keeping life interesting.
Basically, it's the same stuff that our doctors tell US to do. All of it.
And, as Susan says, lots of love. Not being an outdoor dog (outdoor dogs lead shorter lives). More love. And tons of hugs and snuggles.
Did I mention love?
Dh, our 2 year old German Shepherd, 15 yr old Beagle/Spaniel and me.
Exploring every National Park (and Monument) in USA, Canada, Mexico & beyond.
3 well-used backpacking tents.
2008 Itasca Impulse, 24'
I had a mixed breed that I loved for almost 17 years.... that made him right at 19 or 20 when he passed according to the vet's best guess when I first found him. He was healthy, active, and full of life until the last month or so. He had cataracts and an enlarged heart the last couple of years, but did very well as an elderly little man. He was a stray when I found him and he danced right into my heart & home. I named him BoJangles after the song and it was apropos in so many ways. After almost 14 years gone by, I still grieve the loss of my Jangles.
I've also had 15 to 17 year old dogs and one was a Shepherd mix. Right now we have an 11 year old and 9 year old Lhasa Apso. Both of these boys are showing very little signs of slowing down. I feel very blessed to be able to have my much loved companions for this many years.
Oh.... and our next door neighbor has a HUGE black lab that is 16. Toby had ACL surgery last year and is doing quite well. He loves to play with our smaller dogs. He isn't fast on his feet but he is a precious soul.
Cat
(Jim just reads the forum once in a while)
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some sort of battle.... Live simply, love wholly, give generously, care deeply, speak kindly.
We have a chow who just turned 13 in April. He had his check up last week and the vet said all of his wellness tests came back like a dog 2 or 3 years old. He was getting to where he was slowing down some and she gave him a prescription of Rimadyl(anti-inflammatory) and he has been much better in the 5 days he has been on it. He loves to go camping and we found a ramp at Petco to help him get into the truck and up into the camper (we have 3 steps to go up). If he sees up gathering up stuff for a trip, he will follow us around the house whining so we don't forget to take him.
DH and I
2 teenagers
Buddy (dog) and Boo (cat)
'08 Dodge 3500 Megacab w/Cummins Diesel
'09 Heartland Big Horn 3400RE
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