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Book Review: Good Old Dog

Good Old Dog: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable

Edited by Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, with Lawrence Lindner

Nicholas Dodman and his colleagues at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University have put together a valuable guide to caring for our dogs in what we hope will be their golden years. In twelve chapters, they lay out the basics—what is “old” for a dog, how to give your dog the advantages of the right diet and why that’s important, what are the most common medical conditions affecting older dogs, and end-of-life decisions, as well as the nitty gritty of recognizing and responding to the common serious conditions that can affect older dogs, including heart disease, cancer, kidney failure, joint problems, and dementia.

The early part of the book also discusses what you can do for your young dog to lay the foundation for a healthy old age. These steps include a healthy diet, adequate exercise suited to your dog’s needs and abilities, and maintaining a healthy weight to avoid excess strain on your dog’s joints and organs.

A point emphasized repeatedly is that old age, in itself, is not a disease. It’s normal to become a bit less active, be a bit less mentally alert, a bit less curious about the world around us. But many times when a loving owner thinks their dog may have reached the end, the real cause is not age but a treatable medical condition. This point is illustrated with stories of real patients treated by the Cummings staff, beginning in the first chapter with the story of Bucky, a ten-year-old obese Lab who was brought in with extreme difficulty breathing due to laryngeal paralysis. He needed surgery, but his owners were reluctant to subject an old dog to the risk of anesthesia. In the end they were persuaded by Bucky’s worsening condition that the only alternative to surgery was euthanasia, and they agreed to the surgery. Six months later, Bucky came in to the emergency clinic again—this time with a lacerated paw. The previously old, slow, obese dog, now that he could breathe easily again, he had energy, enthusiasm for running and playing, and as a result of the increased activity, he’d lost weight, as well.

Dr. Dodman and his colleagues make excellent use of theses stories, both to illustrate the benefits of treatment and of a thorough medical exam before making drastic decisions no matter how grim your dog’s condition seems, as well as the circumstances where treatment is simply not in the best interests of the dog.

While this is a book well worth reading cover to cover, it’s also well worth keeping on your bookshelf for future reference. It’s packed with useful information, practical guidance, explanations of the kinds of things your veterinarian may be able to do as well as the information your veterinarian you need, and simple steps you can take to make your aging dog’s life easier and more comfortable. There’s also a guide to additional resources, both for information and for practical assistance with specific issues, including sources of help when a pet has a treatable but very expensive medical condition. This book is written for the average reasonably educated pet owner with no background in medicine, and is direct and clear without talking down to the reader.

Highly recommended.

I purchased this book at a local bookstore.

Reviewer Bio:

Lis and Addy
Lis Carey is a librarian with an odd sense of humor, who finds excitement in helping people find the information they need, and in the varied corners of library work--reference, cataloging, circulation, resource development, reader's advisory. She reads voraciously and enjoys a wide variety of material--including, of course, fiction and non-fiction about dogs and cats. Addy, her Chinese Crested, is always happy to keep her company while reading, and occasionally tries to help write the reviews.

Check out her Blog Lis Carey's Library for more Book Reviews.

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