How Seniors Behave

When dogs reach senior status, expect physicial and behavioral changes.


Listed are elder issues:


.   House soiling
.   Change in elimination patterns
.   Decreases/change in interactions with other pets.
.   Onset of aggression in a normally non aggressive dog
.   Disorientation and /or poor problem solving
    (getting stuck behind doors)
.   Changes in sleep patterns
.   Changes in vocalization
.   Onset of novel phobias


Some veterinarians and researchers suggest medications, diets, supplements and behavioral or environment interventions can help aging dogs to improve their quality of life.

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Final Advice for Dog's Ears....

If your dog's ears remain healthy and normal, do not over clean them..

If your dog's ears do not seem healthy, seek veterinary help  right away.

Left untreated, ear infections can lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss not to mention non stop pain and irritation.

Breeds Prone To Ear Problems

While veterinarians see dogs of all breeds with ear problems, often related to food or environmental allergies.  Some breed experience more infections and more severe infections.

For example some breeds have  particularly narrow ear canals which do not in it self cause ear infections but can lead to a more severe infection quickly.

.   French Bulldogs

.   Bulldogs

.   Pugs

.   Chinese Shar-Pei

These breeds also tend not to shake their heads in response to ear discomfort (a common 

symptoms in other breeds).  Due to the shape of their head they may simply get no relief from the shaking    - whereas other dogs might be able to shake ear gunk loose.

Dogs with floppy ears also tend to get more severe ear infections due to a more humid atmosphere under the ear flap. 

Cocker Spaniels are a special case.  Cocker Spaniels tend to develop more proliferative changes in the ears and that means when they have ottis (inflammation/ear infection).  They are more likely to get thickened tissue in their ears, at worse it might require surgical removal of the ear canal.

This happens more often in Cockers than any other breed.  

And most veterinarians do not know why.

Summer Water Safety Tips For Dogs..

Dog sunburn can happen.

To avoid this remember to apply sun screen to your dog's nose and ears before going out doors. 

Limit the time in the sun, help him or her to avoid walking on hot surfaces to prevent paw blisters, and make sure you can provide a shady spot and fresh drinking water for frequent breaks. 

Keep your dog safe from heat strokes.  

Swimming is a great way for dogs to stay cool.

Monitor your dog while swimming and encourage frequent water and shade breaks,.

How To tell If Your Cat Is Secretly Sick..

Change in appetite.

Eating too much or too little can potentially signify disease.  If you notice a change either way, should notify your veterinarian.   There are countless diseases that can cause overeating or losing one's appetite.  Your veterinarian's job will be to investigate why. This typically starts with blood work, x rays and ultrasound. 

Stinky breath

A foul odor coming from  your kitty's mouth can mean gum disease or tooth decay.  Brushing your cat's teeth is a good way to decrease those risks.  Imagine if you went 5,10,15 years without brushing your teeth!  In addition breath that smells like ammonia can be a sign of kidney disease.

Eliminating outside of the litter box

Causes of this annoying habit van be behavioral or indicate a disease.  Discuss your pet's symptoms with your veterinarian to rule out a bladder infection or urinary blockage before treating this as a behavior issue.


Weight change


Weight loss can be an indication of thyroid disease or worse, cancer. 
Weight gain or a growing belly can be related to various conditions such as pyometra (a uterus full of pus). 

Obesity by itself is detrimental to your pet's health, it an lead to arthritis, tumors and a shorter lifespan.


Behavior change

If your normally social kitty suddenly becomes antisocial, there may be a medical reason. 
A classic sign of illness is hiding: kitty feels bad, tries to hide from predators and hides in a closet or under a bed.



Grooming change

Lack of grooming can cause a dull or greasy hair coat, which can indicate skin disease or other problems.



Activity change

A sudden increase activity level in a middle aged to older kitty can indicate an overactive  thyroid.  If your kitty seems less than enthusiastic about moving around or playing, it may indicate arthritis or other issues.



Sleep pattern change

If your cat seems to sleep all day when he or she use to be active  they may be trying  to tell you that they do not feel well.  The opposite is also true,  If your kitty is up all night, roaming the house, vocalizing, or seems overactive during the day, there might be an underlying cause.



Stress induced behavior

A change in your cat's routine may be a sign of stress.  

Changes in the environment your pet lives in, like the addition of another pet, remodeling or loud noises can all cause hiding , depression or lack of appetite. 

Be objective and thorough when describing any potential changes to your veterinarian. 



Voice change

Voice changes can actually indicate a problem.

Normally quiet cats with an increase in vocalizations, or a usually chatty cat which suddenly becomes quiet, might mean trouble.

Any of the above changes should be reason to take your cat to your vet to investigate the cause and find a treatment as soon as possible.

How To Remove Eye Gunk & Hard Fur In A Yorkie...

Excessive tearing in dogs, known as epiphora, can affect Yorkshire Terrier of any age. 

The causes of epiphora are many and varied , and gunk in your dog's eyes can often indicate an eye disease or parasite. 

Yorkshire Terriers have long, silky fur that can accumulate a lot of dried gunk. 

Try to keep your Yorkie's eyes as clean as possible, but in the case that the gunk dries up around the eyes.  

You can remove it by using a warm saline solution.

Chronic discharge from a Yorkshire Terrier's eye is not normal and could be a sign of a larger problem,

Check with a veterinarian if your Yorkie continues to have gunk around his or her eye.

Reiki For Cats...

Reiki is a hands on healing method that originated in Japan.

The word Reiki is a Japanese composite word usually translated as "universal life energy".  It is based on the idea that all living beings have life energy flowing through them.  When life energy is high, your pets are healthy and balanced, more relaxed and less likely to get sick.  When it is low, they will often be more easily affected by stress and less resistant to illness.

Cats are naturally receptive to the Reiki energy and tend to gravitate towards it readily.


Benefits of Reiki For Pets


Enhances overall well being. Just like people, even healthy pets can have occasional physical, emotional and mental imbalances that, if left untreated can manifest as illness. 

Periodic Reiki treatments can help maintain your pet's natural state of well being and balance.


Strengthens the immune system for cancer therapies.  
Cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation present stress to an already compromised immune system.

Reiki strengthens the immune system to better deal with the additional stress.  It helps alleviate or prevent the side effects of conventional cancer treatments and provides pain relief.


Increases trust and bonding between you and your pet. 

People and pets often mirror each other's physical and emotional states. 
Animals are natural healers and sometimes take on their person's problems, often in an attempt to heal them. 

This happens because of the deep bond shared between a pet and his or her person. 

 Because of the shared energy in such a close relationship, energetic imbalances are  shared as well. 

For optimum healing, joint treatments for people and their pets can  often be beneficial.   

Can help with behavior issues by promoting relaxation and stress reduction.

Many behavior issues are caused by stress. 

Reiki has a calming effect on the pet and may help make the pet more receptive to training and behavior modification. 

Reiki is extremely beneficial for animals with a history of abuse. 

The gentle and the energy can help restore trust in animals who have learned to associate touch with being hurt.

Provides comfort and relieves pain, anxiety and fear for terminally ill animals.

Reiki is a wonderful way to facilitate the transition for terminally ill animals and their owners.

Often animals will not allow themselves to transition because they intuitively feel that their  person is not ready to let them go. 

Joint Reiki treatments for the pet and his or her person can help both through this difficult time by enhancing the bond and allowing a gentle transition.