As our pets age, they can develop a kind of dementia that is also referred to as CCD, or Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. If your once friendly and cuddly pooch seems to be getting more distant with you and even tends not to recognize you at first when you walk in the door, these may be signs that your dog is having the effects of cognitive dysfunction or dementia. Other signs include the following:
– You notice your pet seems lost in familiar places around your home or yard
-He doesn’t respond to your commands or even to his name
-He seems startled when you approach him
-Your pet seems to have trouble sleeping and often paces around the house
-There are frequent accidents around the house, no matter how often he is walked
-Can be hesitant to take treats or seems less hungry, almost as if forgetting to eat
-Seems to stare into space and is startled by noises
-Your pet makes frequent noises, growls or barks for no apparent reason
So what can a loving pet owner do to make the last golden years comfortable? There are drugs available that will help many dogs. These work on the amount of dopamine in your dog’s brain. Apoequorin and Anipryl are two such drugs. They may help your dog to think more clearly and help with their memory. They can enhance your dog’s enjoyment of life. Other things you can do are to keep their environment as consistent as possible. Rearranging a room can create much confusion to your pet, so try to keep things in the order your dog is used to. Older pets should have stable floors to walk on and if you have wood or tile, you might want to invest in runner rugs throughout the areas they tend to walk. Stick to routines like feeding times and walking schedules. Keep your playtimes relaxed and gentle. The best thing that you can do is show your dog that you are patient and loving and that you respect the changes he is going through. Enjoy your senior companion and make the end of life’s journey a happy and comfortable one!
Tails Untold just received this very nice note from Sharon who lives Down Under in Australia. Her adorable Jack Russell Terrier, Roy, has terminal cancer. She wanted an uplifting memory of Roy and a special holiday gift for him. It was one of our special and heartwarming books. In this photo, Roy is on the left and his brother Jack is on the right!
“Roy and I went away for a couple of days (rest) and when we got home our book had arrived.
I was so excited to receive it and I loved it more than I thought I would.
You personalized the book perfectly – its such a beautiful story.
I can not thank you enough. … thank you all you have done for Roy and I this Christmas
This book will always be very special to me
Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas
Regards
Sharon
p.s. I will keep in touch and let you know how Roy is going!”
Tails Untold is very proud to have made a donation to the New Rochelle Humane Society, thanks to Stella, who just went on a Tails Untold Personalized Pet Book Adventure in New York City.
For more information, please visit: www.newrochellehumanesociety.org
Founded in 1911, the New Rochelle Humane Society is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing individual loving care for lost, abandoned, injured, and mistreated animals. We service 17 communities in Westchester County including Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Eastchester, Elmsford, Greenburgh, Harrison, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Larchmont, Mamaroneck Village, New Rochelle, Pelham Manor, Rye, Rye Brook, Scarsdale and Tarrytown, and rescue over 500 dogs and 900 cats each year.
About 50% of the shelter’s funding is from services provided for animal control (rescuing homeless cats and dogs). The other 50% comes from donations, wills and bequests. We do not receive any state or federal funding.
We love to surprise our favorite person with an unexpected gift. Imagine finding a brand new car in your driveway! With children, we think of a special gift of a new pet. Having your child run downstairs on Christmas morning or the first day of Hanukkah to find a cute little kitten or puppy with a red bow under the tree or by the menorah sounds so exciting! But, and there is always a but, there are several ways you can give a child a pet. Putting a live pet under the tree or by the menorah on the 8 days of Hanukkah can have its problems. Many children are too young to know what caring for a pet means. Especially children under 10 years old. It is not a wise idea to get a pet to teach your child responsibility. A child who is not usually responsible may not know what it means to care for a pet. What is a better idea is to have a pet be a reward for demonstrated responsibility.
There are many other things to consider. The cost of having a pet can run as much as $400. a year for a cat and $500. for a dog. They need food, supplies, basic shots and other vet care. Having a pet means a great deal of commitment, considering the love, care and time to play with him. Then there are the inevitable accidents, furniture damage and other requirements to make a home pet-safe. The average cat or dog can live 12 to 15 years or longer. They need the security of committed owners with the ability to accept the bumps along the road.
If you really wish to surprise someone with a new pet, consider this alternative. For adults you can purchase a pet gift certificate from Petfinder.com. This way, the gift recipient can search for more than 350,000 adoptable pets. For children, you might buy a stuffed dog or cat, equipped with supplies like food dishes, leashes, collars and treats. Then you can attach a note saying that the family can go to pick out the pet after the holidays. This way the whole family is involved in choosing the type, size and breed of the animal you’re considering. Explore websites that identify breeds that work best with your family’s personality. Kids will enjoy being part of the process and you can teach them what the responsibilities of owning a pet include.
Finally, keep in mind that animal shelters are great places to go for a new pet. The cost is low and they often have discounts on spaying and neutering. Petfinder.com allows you to search by breed, location, size and more. With this kind of planning, your family can have a wonderful longtime family member that brings joy throughout the years!
Sunshine Golden Retriever Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that rescues Golden Retrievers who have lost their homes through no fault of their own. Through adoptions, we seek to place them in their forever homes from NJ through ME.
Everything you need to know about Sunshine Golden Retriever Rescue can be found via the various links and pages of our site. Our website is frequently updated to provide you with the most current information about our organization and available dogs. If you are visiting for the first time, please be sure to visit our information page and various other pages to learn more about what we do.
| Name: | Weezie |
| Nickname(s): | The Boss |
| Gender: | female |
| Characteristics: | One eye, white face, very large pointy ears |
| Personality: | stealthy, determined, quiet, funny |
