# Extending my dog years



## Velinda81 (Jul 7, 2004)

As my Nadia turned seven last October, I soon came to learn that she is considered a senior. I love my dog as much as the rest of us here who love their dogs. It breaks my heart to think that someday in the future, hoping in the long, long, long future she will leave me. I changed her food from Iams to Canidae. What other steps could I take that would benefit her health wise being that she is my first GSD?









Nadia at Hume Lake this past February.


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## caview (Jun 30, 2008)

How beautiful she is!! 

I don't have the answer for you as our first GSD is a 7 month old puppy, but I can fully relate to you question! 

As I look at our pupster, I'll do anything to give him as many years of joy as possible!

Many blessings and years and years of happiness together!

Tanya


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

What is your vaccination schedule? I would not do any more vaccines from now on other than rabies which is required by law. But many people will stop that after their dog is 8-10, you can get an exemption letter if your vet is reasonable








Keep her trim and active, that always goes a long way!


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## Toffifay (Feb 10, 2007)

Yes! I agree that over vaccinating is horrible for your dog. I had a client pick up her "almost" EIGHTEEN year old cocker and had an appointment at her Vet for his shots. Say what?????!!!! I said something like, "they are still giving this dog vaccinations?!" After seventeen years of the same vac's you'e think he'd be immune already!


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

She is beautiful! I wish you many more happy years together. This is The Best place to get advice from







Looks like you have done a fabulous job with her!


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I'd consider switching her to a grain-free food, perhaps one of Candiae's, if she is doing well on that food. As seniors get older, their nutrition needs change; they still need lots of protein, but they need more bio-available protein. 

Also, grains tend to be inflammatory. Inflammation can make arthritis and joint and spine issues worse. 

If you're not doing so already, look into adding fish oil (omega 3 fatty acids) and vitamins E and C in her diet. There's a lot of threads about these in the BARF and Food/Nutrition sections, so I won't go into dosing and such. These are antioxidants. 

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/antiox.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html

I also like cranberry as an antioxidant, and I use cranberry capsules for that purpose. For female dogs, in particular, it helps ward off urinary tract infections as a nice side effect. 

So, start there. We can go wild with supplements. But these four are the ones I would do. You can get them at any drug store. I get mine at Costco for really reasonably priced.

We look forward to having Nadia around here for years and years to come!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Hmm, I usually agree with 3K9Mom but I don't agree about the cranberry supplements. I think those should be used when there is a problem and that's it. In fact, the cranberry supplements I've given in the past all say not to give more than a couple of times a week after the initial problem is resolved. 

I agree that anti-oxidants are a great idea. And I agree about the vaccinations and the food. I also use filtered water for my dogs. 

I think a good joint health supplement is a must for gsds. Adding fresh foods (and raw, if possible) also seems to have helped my dogs' health. 

Daily exercise and mental stimulation is key to keeping your dog healthy and happy. 

As Chama started to show signs of aging I added in a senior vitamin and a few other things that were directly related to her particular health problems. 

Your dog is gorgeous and I hope she remains healthy for a long time!


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## MelissaHoyer (Sep 8, 2006)

I have a seven year old too. She has always had health problems so I am very concerned with keeping her healthy.

Here is her "regimen" :

Raw Diet - As much variety as she can tolerate...chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit, green tripe, veggies, fruits, etc. 

Supplements:
B-Naturals Immune Blend (vitamins, minerals, probiotics, digestive enzymes)
B-Naturals Green Blend 
Fish Oil (1000 mg per 30 lbs)
Vitamin E

Minimal vaccinations, no flea prevention (has horrible reactions) and heartworm prevention only during warm months.

Luckily, she still acts very young and she keeps up with my 3 year old GSD...only changes I have seen are a bit of stiffness if we do long physical activity (like over 2 hours of hiking) and she does sleep a bit more. Not bad for an old girl


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## Velinda81 (Jul 7, 2004)

No vaccinations!! I've never thought of that before, she is enrolled in Banfield's wellness plan which involves comprehensive exam every six months. She receives bordatella every six months I believe, lyme disease and giardia once a year. Why are the vaccinations no longer needed? As for raw food, I honestly wish I had the time to prepare but I'm willing to comprimise if it can meet somewhere in the middle. I like the idea of supplements so I'll look into that. What about flea/tick prevention, Nadia is currently on K9 advantix so do I stop giving her that as well? I thought ticks/fleas contributed to diseases that would harm our dogs.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Oh. My. You are getting all the "extra" vaccines too. Most vets don't think the giardia vaccine is all that effective and the lyme vaccine can cause all sorts of problems in the long run, and a healthy dog doesn't need bordatella - good health is your best defense. Those vaccines contribute to the business end of your vet, not the health of your dog!! 

Your girl needs no more vaccines, other than rabies because that was is determined by law. Are you in a 1 or 3 year state?

I also like chiropractic care to help delay spine and hip problems.


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

you only need bordetella if you kennel her often. Mine don't go to kennels, so no bordetalla. lyme and giardia vaccines, never had it, won't do it. My senior girls get flea/tick meds, raw diet. Actually, Oxana is getting ready to go on kibble as raw hasn't agreed with her the last few weeks. I do 3 yr rabies but not on the old guys.


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## Velinda81 (Jul 7, 2004)

Alright, she is scheduled for her physical exam this coming tuesday, so I will kindly tell the vet no more vaccines. I live in CA so its 3 years for me to get her rabies renewed. So if the vet tries to make me feel guilty or scare me into thinking she needs vaccines what do I say? Sorry, I know I probably sound like a dork Plus, we are expecting to get another GSD puppy in about two months what age does one stop having them receive vaccines beside rabies?


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

I did Oxana's last rabies shot at 8. She's now 11 and due, she won't be getting it. 

My pups get vaccines at 8, 11, and 14 wks, then rabies at 16 wks. After that I do a 1 yr booster, then I normally go every other year. I don't pull titers, but I do vaccinate every couple years instead of every year.

The cats, Iris has feline leukemia, so need to vaccinate. Patches is indoors but doesn't get along with Iris, so I don't vaccinate her either (other than her first ones when I found her).


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

Personally if the vet is insisting on vaccinations every single year, I would look for a new one. Most vets nowadays will at least put dogs on a 3 year vaccination schedule now.
The vet can't do it without your permission, just stand firm and tell him no more. You can google and find some good articles to print out and bring him. If he's like my old vet he'll say it's just propaganda. Their harassment about annual vaccinations was one reason I switched.

Here is one to look over and maybe print out, but you may be able to find better if you look.
http://www.altvetmed.org/articles/vaccinations.html

Tell the vet you'll do titers every few years - titers are pretty expensive so it'd end up costing you as much as the shots, so the vet shouldn't really lose any money in the long run.

I remember reading a recent study that showed vaccines are good for 7 years...oh I found it








This has a link to the study.
http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_vaccine_makers_arent_telling_pet_owners


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I forgot to say earlier-- Glucosamine and Chondroitin, although I start those before my kids officially become seniors. 

And adequan injex as soon as I start to notice the tiniest bit of stiffness.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Skip the titers for vaccination, you don't need them and you don't need to spend the money. Just tell the vet that you've weighed the pros and cons (there are some vaccine links in the sticky in the health section), and decided that she doesn't need anymore (except for rabies). 

I'm pretty sure that the vet will then tell you about all sorts of horrible things that will happen to your dog because you have chosen not to vaccinate. You will then tell the vet that you've decided to take those risks, knowing full well that it really isn't a risk at this point, it's the science, but don't try to argue with the vet, you won't win and you'll just get angry, annoyed, something. Don't let him/her bully or scare you, it's solid science at this point.

BTW, that study didn't show that vaccines are good for 7 years. If you look at the original study, it shows that vaccines are good for *at least* 7 years, since the study ended after 7 years. 

If your girl is exposed to ticks, I would recommend having the SNAP4 Heartworm test done, as that also tests for 3 tick diseases. I don't know what kind of exposure your girl has had though. I'm not completely convinced how good all these tests are for CA tick diseases.

My old girl is going to turn 12 in a couple of weeks, she was last vaccinated when she was 2, because she was damaged by her vaccines. Our GSD had his last vaccines when he was 1, and he will be 8 next month. He's never been real healthy, so I haven't vaccinated. We take them on vacation with us, used to go to training all the time, etc.


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