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Congratulations! You've just taken the first step toward providing the best care for your friend in its golden years. Through senior blood testing, not only can normal laboratory values be determined that are specific to your pet, but any abnormal values may be addressed in order to maintain a high quality of life for your pet as it ages.

It is recommended to have these tests performed every one to two years to monitor any changes that may occur. It is only through early detection that many age-related illnesses may be slowed or prevented. Depending on the results, more frequent testing may be recommended.

The aging process brings about a gradual reduction in your pet's physical capabilities. While dogs and cats begin to undergo these changes starting at about age five to seven years, different pets will show the various signs of growing old at different rates. The best time to recognize your pet's "senior" status and need for extra TLC is long before advanced disabilities set in.

To increase the length and quality of your pet's life, it is important to begin a process of prevention. Risks are associated with your pet's background, environment, or lifestyle. Certain conditions put him or her at greater risk of developing age-related changes or diseases. Some of these factors cannot be controlled; however, activity level, living conditions, quality of medical care, and level of nutrition are factors that can be controlled by a responsible owner. The extent to which these factors are managed help determine the quality and length of your pet's life. By identifying some of your pet's risk factors, treatment can be initiated prior to the onset of a medical problem.

Dental Disease

Tooth loss and serious gum infections become more common as pets age. The loss of teeth is a problem, and difficulty in chewing food may result. However, the spread of bacteria from the mouth into the pet's bloodstream, when infections occur around the teeth, is an even more serious risk to the older pet's health. Tumors of the mouth and gums also become more likely with advancing age. The first step in good dental care is to have your pet's teeth examined by your veterinarian.

Weight Gain

Obesity is one of the single most important risks the older pet's health. Since the older animal's metabolism and activity level slows down, most older pets have a tendency to gain weight Obesity is unhealthy in any pet, but it is especially harmful to an older animal's joints, heart and other organs.

Skin Conditions

Skin problems may occur more frequently since the older pet's skin is less elastic and repairs itself less rapidly. Hair loss is usually more pronounced, because hair follicles are less active in later life.

Cold and Warm Temperatures

Because your pet's metabolism is slowing, you may notice an increasing intolerance to heat and cold. This happens because your pet produces less of the hormones that are critical for maintaining the body's normal temperature.

Senses

Smell, sight, taste and hearing will diminish as your pet ages. Many pets adapt to these losses very well, although there may be a decrease in appetite. For such pets, a highly nutritious, well balanced diet is a must. Eye problems, such as glaucoma and cataracts, are more likely to develop in older pets.

Internal Organs

Diseases of vital internal organs—heart, lungs, kidneys and bladder—occur more frequently in older dogs and cats. As animals age, the organs also age. Therefore, a complete health assessment of the senior dog and cat includes considerable attention to these organs along with dietary recommendations to promote good health.

What you can do at home:

• Avoid excessive weight gain. Your veterinarian may recommend an exercise program as well as a special senior pet food.
• Keep your pet's living and areas clean, dry and warm at all times.
• If possible, regularly check your pet's mouth for reddened gums, loose teeth or unusual swellings. Check eyes for redness, unusual cloudiness, discomfort and discharge. Check ears for wax build-up, discharge or unusual odors.
• Thoroughly groom and inspect your older pet's skin regularly. Look for lumps, bumps and wounds.
• If your older pet's eyesight is impaired, avoid relocating furniture. Also, try not to drastically change your pet's daily routine.
• Any change associated with eating, drinking or elimination should be noted and discusses with your veterinarian. These are conditions are often associated with early stages of disease.
• Take your older pet for regular senior checkups, even if he or she seems to be well. It is always easier and less expensive to prevent a problem rather than treat a problem.
• Feed only the food your veterinarian recommends. Since many "treats" are high in sodium, you should not permit your older pet to eat them unless recommended.

Your older pet is a real member of the family. With proper care and regular testing, your loyal companion should be able to live a long and healthy life.

Long associated with France and dainty upper-class ladies, the Poodle was originally bred as a working dog and later found fame in circus tents. The Poodle was initially used by the Greeks for sea sponge diving; later Spanish colonists in North America used the breed in lobster diving. The Poodle’s ancestors were probably curly-coated dogs from central Asia, though their backgrounds are interwoven with rough-coated water dogs originating in France, Germany and Eastern Europe. In recent years, the Poodle has become an icon of the rich and the breed has grown in popularity in the show ring.

The Poodle comes in three sizes— standard (more than 15 inches at the shoulder); miniature (between 10 and 15 inches at the shoulder) and the toy (under 10 inches). Poodles are highly intelligent, active and have a distinctive appearance, which has made them popular everywhere from the battlefield to the circus. The Poodle is a water dog used for retrieving, a fact evidenced by their rough coats, which made swimming easier for them. The breed has origins in France and Germany, and the word “poodle” comes from the German “Pfudel,” meaning “puddle,” a reference to the dog’s proclivity for water. Poodles became show dogs in the late 1800s. Unlike the bouffant coat style popular today, 19th century poodles were shown with corded coats, in which the hair is allowed to mat rather than be brushed out. Difficult upkeep ended this practice.

Poodles are friendly towards people and are excellent watchdogs. The Poodle has a very mellow temperament and is good with children. Poodles need lots of attention from their owners, as well as plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise. A brisk walk and a short, challenging obedience or play session are ideal, though some dogs may require more activity than others. Poodles should not be kept outdoors. Grooming a Poodle is important—when shed, the breed’s hair can become caught in the surrounding hair, which will lead to matting.

Most people think that when a dog licks their face, the dog is giving kisses. In fact, dogs do not kiss. Although face licking can reasonably be interpreted as a compliment, it is not kissing as we understand it. Many dogs will lick whatever they can get their tongues on; hands, feet, faces, elbows and ears. In order to have a better understanding of the differences between what we consider kissing and our dogs consider licking, we need to know why dogs lick.

Types of Licking

Licking is seen first in the mother-infant situation when a bitch grooms her pups after birth. This helps clean the pups and also stimulates their breathing. This continues into puppyhood; the mother's licking not only cleans the pups but encourages them to eliminate. Human mothers bathe their infants and change diapers because they care, but no one would confuse the act of bathing or changing diapers with kissing. Because dogs can manipulate things better with their mouths than with their paws, it makes sense for them to use their tongues when it comes to cleaning. As a veterinary behaviorist so eloquently put it, a tongue is a dog's toilet paper.

Pups eventually groom themselves and also engage in a certain amount of grooming other dogs. Called allogrooming, this is a care-giving behavior that enhances bonding between individuals. It's very satisfying for dogs to have a buddy help out with those hard-to-reach places, and reciprocation increases the likelihood of future interactions. Allogrooming appears to be a gesture of goodwill and appeasement. It could be classified, along with rolling over and urination, as a sign of submission. Humans and other primates also groom and massage each other by way of pleasurable exchange. The significance of this behavior is similar, denoting friendly intentions and serving as a mechanism for reducing stress.

Pups lick their mother's face around the time they are making the transition from milk to solid food. This face licking is part of a greeting ritual in the wild when a bitch returns from hunting with a belly full of food. The purpose of face licking in this context is to get mom to regurgitate partly-digested stomach contents for the pups' dining pleasure. This type of face licking still occurs in domestic dogs, sometimes with the same result.

Another form of licking that dogs display is licking their own lips. Initially, this behavior may have evolved for the purpose of cleaning their lips after eating, but it now serves as an indicator of stress. It is similar to lip-biting in humans. Lip licking decreases as pups gain in confidence and feel more comfortable with their surroundings, but it doesn't disappear entirely, even in adult dogs. You might see a dog nervously licking his lips as he ponders his fate in a veterinary office.

Many animal scientists characterize face licking as submissive behavior. This is because face licking, like lip licking, is exhibited by dogs in situations of stress or conflict. Face licking is likely to occur when a subordinate dog has summoned up enough courage to approach a more dominant one. This brings up a possible parallel between face licking by dogs and kissing in non-human primates. Apparently, kissing is a common greeting behavior expressed when a subordinate chimpanzee greets a more dominant one. The dominant chimp may, in return, also kiss the subordinate during such meetings, though kissing by the more dominant chimp is only about half as likely. Could it be that when your dog greets you at the door with wagging tail and licks your face as you kneel to say "Hi" that he is actually acknowledging you as his leader?

Prevention of Unwanted Licking Behavior

Although some face licking is tolerable, "no lick" is a useful command to master. It should be incorporated into the training of all dogs that lick their owners excessively, preferably from an early age. No punishment should be employed during training; in fact, punishment is totally inappropriate and will teach the dog nothing except how to avoid the punishment. It is far better to reward the behavior that you want to promote. This can be achieved using a voice cue, "no lick", patient, motionless waiting on the part of the owner, and a valued reward (a treat, perhaps), delivered instantaneously, for stopping licking. If the licking continues, a veterinary behaviorist can be contacted to help provide additional recommendations.

While many of us enjoy our dog's "kisses", it is important to remember that what humans define as a voluntary act of affection may not be a dog's intention. Licking, in general, is harmless and can be considered normal dog-to-owner behavior. If the licking becomes obsessive, training your dog to only lick on command is a reasonable way to curb the unwanted behavior. Once a dog has been taught when licking is appropriate and how much is tolerated, receiving "kisses" from your dog is more appreciated. Understanding the behavior behind your dog's actions can only help you strengthen the bond between both of you.

It is a common misconception that birds can live on seeds alone. An exclusive diet of seeds is deficient in many vitamins, minerals, and amino acids necessary for the health of your bird. Without these nutrients in the diet, malnutrition, increased susceptibility to disease, and premature death can result.

It is true that most pet birds like seeds and, if provided an unlimited supply, they happily devour them. Wild birds rarely enjoy this opportunity, and they generally supplement their diets with worms, maggots, insects, fruit, and other available delicacies.

A balanced diet for pet birds, like that for people, contains a large variety of foods. Offer each kind to your pet bird in small quantities in order to ensure that one preferred food is not over-consumed. Fruits, vegetables, cereals, bread, as well as beans, eggs, and cooked meat - each in moderate quantities - make up a well-balanced diet. Precise mixtures vary with the species of bird being fed. As a general rule, just about anything good for you is also good for your bird. The important exceptions are avocado and chocolate, which are both very toxic to birds.

If preparing meals for your bird doesn't fit your schedule or personal lifestyle, there are several pelleted commercial complete bird diets available. These diets can be supplemented with treats from any of the above recommended foods. If your bird is currently on a seed diet, the transition to a pelleted diet should be made gradually. Birds have a strong preference for their usual diet and may refuse to eat unfamiliar pellets. A diet of three-parts seeds to one-part pellets can be offered for one week; half seeds and half pellets the second week; one-part seeds to three-parts pellets the third week and pellets thereafter. If at any step your bird refuses this diet, back up to previous week's ratio of seed to pellets and then resume the transition the next week. If your bird refuses pellets for more than two months, your veterinarian may be able to offer a more sophisticated feeding method.

The availability of clean fresh water just as important as a healthy diet. Water is essential for the function of all necessary biological systems. Clean water must be free of bacterial, viral, and algal growths that can compromise your bird's health.

Food and water dishes should be washed daily and securely anchored in the cage out of the more frequent paths of droppings.

Any sudden decrease in appetite or change in dropping color or consistency could be the first sign of illness. If this is noticed, your veterinarian should be called and the bird should be examined.

Geckos are small lizards. While all geckos are lizards, not all lizards are geckos. They do; however, make excellent pets and comprise about one half of all the reptiles in the world. On the average, they live between 20-25 years and grow up to 8-10 inches in length. Their size depends on their breed and they come in a variety of shapes and colors. While geckos are not quite as social as a dog or a cat, it can be quite rewarding to own one. Due to their long lifespan, owning a gecko is a significant commitment and should not be taken without understanding the responsibilities involved. Caring for a gecko can be quite easy if the proper steps are taken.

Housing a gecko is simple. A reptile cage or at least a 10-gallon tank is fine for one gecko; twenty gallons is better for up to three geckos. Line the cage or aquarium with newspaper, sand, bark chips (not cedar), indoor/outdoor carpeting, or special sand-like material that is available through a pet supplier. Whatever you decide to use needs to be absorbent, easily cleaned, and digestible if swallowed. Hiding and climbing spaces should be provided as well. These can be rocks, pieces of wood, small boxes, etc. The cage must have a tight-fitting closure to prevent escape and smooth surfaces to prevent irritation to the skin. Many people like to have their gecko roam free in the home due their appetite for insects. Unfortunately, a gecko running around free often dies of hypothermia, hides, escapes or falls prey to dog and cat attacks.

Geckos do not need special lighting. You may want to install a light bulb so your gecko stands out; however, heat is much more important to your gecko's health than lighting. The tank should have a range of temperatures to allow your gecko to move around and select the most comfortable spot. Anywhere between 80-95 degrees should be warm enough for any breed. Heat can be provided with an overhead heat lamp, a heated rock or pad, or both. Light should really only be provided during the daytime with lights out at night. The humidity of the cage needs to be 50-70 percent with adequate ventilation to prevent bacterial growth.

The best diet is live crickets and/or mealworms which can both be purchased at a pet supply store. It is important to provide additional vitamins and minerals (calcium and vitamin D) with a dusting of a pre-measured mix applied to the live cricket. This provides essential nutrition. Geckos also need a water supply. They like to lick water from leaves, so it can be beneficial to create a drip system that provides a constant source of water.

It is not recommended to keep more than one lizard in the tank. Having two or more together (especially males) often causes competition for dominance and food. This creates stress that can make one or both of them sick. Handling a gecko can also cause stress. While most have been raised in captivity and are used to being held, reptiles do not particularly enjoy human contact. When you do handle your gecko, never hold it by the tail as it can easily break off.

Like other reptiles, geckos can excrete Salmonella bacteria, making proper hygiene essential. Disinfect and clean cages regularly, but do not do so in food preparation areas (kitchens) or bathing areas. Wash your hands/equipment between pets, after handling, and before eating or handling food.

Guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats, and rabbits often are called pocket pets. Over the last few years, the popularity of pocket pets has increased dramatically. This increase in popularity is due to several factors.

In today’s modern family, it is not unusual to have both adult members leaving for work early in the morning. Since no one is at home during the day, a dog is often an impractical pet. Aside from the fact that dogs need to be exercised and walked throughout the day, many residences and condominium communities do not allow dog and/or pet ownership.

Pocket pets have become popular due to the fact that they are small, cute, fuzzy, relatively inexpensive, and found at most local pet stores.

Small size and low cost do not mean that pocket pets can be neglected. To remain healthy, these little creatures need the same care and attention as other domestic pets. Often overlooked by most people, pocket pets can have very special nutritional and housing needs.

Housing

Proper housing is a major factor in keeping pocket pets healthy. Your pet’s house should be made of glass, stainless steel, or durable plastic. Avoid wood and other porous substances as they are difficult to disinfect properly. Also, remember that these little creatures are avid gnawers. They can easily destroy, or even escape from, a poorly constructed home.

The house should be large enough to allow the pet(s) room for exercise. The exact area needed depends upon the species and size of the pet. Be sure to provide an area where your pet can hide. A hide box gives the animal a safe refuge if scared.

Bedding materials should be nontoxic, dust free and absorbent. Wood shavings, ground corncob, or shredded butcher paper meets these criteria. All bedding should be changed at least twice a week. The entire area plus all of its furnishings should be cleaned and disinfected with a dilute chlorine-bleach solution once a week (one-part bleach to thirty-parts water).

Food and water

It is best to use ceramic food dishes to prevent damage from gnawing. This type of dish also is less likely to tip over, decreasing the chances of contaminating the food with urine or droppings. A water bottle with a sipper tube is preferred to a dish.

Good quality, fresh commercial food, appropriate for each species of pocket pet, should be the main part of your pet’s diet. Fresh foods such as green leafy vegetables, carrots, alfalfa sprouts or hay should also be fed three to five times a week. Many pocket pets do not tolerate sudden changes in diet, so be sure to introduce new foods gradually and in small amounts.

If you are feeding a balanced commercial diet, most pocket pets do not require vitamin or mineral supplements. However, it is recommended that guinea pigs receive additional vitamin C. Supplementation can be provided by adding 200 milligrams of vitamin C per quart of drinking water.

Handling

Pocket pets often are given to children as a first pet. However, the inexperienced child can easily mishandle these animals, resulting in injury to the pet or a potentially serious bite or scratch to the child. Adult supervision is recommended until the child gains experience in handling the pet.

Handling always should be gentle, but be sure that support is firm. Go slowly and try not to startle your pet before picking it up. If it is asleep, leave it alone or carefully awaken it first.

Signs of Illness

General signs of illness in pocket pets include:

• decreased appetite
• discharge from mouth, eyes or nose
• loose stools
• lethargy (inactivity)
• lumps or bumps
• flaky skin or hair loss

Call your veterinarian if your pet is showing any of these signs. However, it is best not to wait for disease symptoms to appear. Just like dogs and cats, pocket pets benefit from a yearly veterinary examination.

If you have questions concerning the specific needs and diseases of your pocket pet, please don’t hesitate to contact a staff member at your veterinary hospital.