Clean Run - May 2011 - 53

Paying Attention to Your Dog’s Internal Health

Another area for consideration when examining your dog’s internal health is diet and body weight. As your companion Physical fitness is only one aspect of maintaining health in ages and becomes less active, even if only slightly less acour senior companions. It is equally important to consider tive, it is important to monitor weight and make any necesour dogs’ internal health. While I recsary dietary adjustments. Remember ommend annual physical exams for that calories eaten have to be balThere is no panacea for the all dogs, annual examination is even anced by calories burned to maintain more critical for aging dogs. Regular aches and pains of aging. There body weight. Most dogs do well by veterinary care can help detect potenmaintaining the same diet that they are hundreds of supplements tial problems before they become difare on, just at a reduced amount. I ficult to manage. I recommend annual being touted as the solution typically do not recommend switchblood work for all senior dogs. Blood for whatever ails your dog. Be ing to senior diets, unless for mediwork helps to assess overall body cal reasons. Senior dogs should be cautious about what you purchase. function. This includes a complete maintained at a body condition score blood count that looks at the red and Most supplements have not of 5/9. I do have younger competiwhite blood cells as well as platelets. tors maintained at a BCS of 4.5/9, but undergone any kind of scientific Also included are a chemistry profile I think that is a little too lean for seand an urinanalysis. These tests check validation. That said, there are niors. To assess your dog’s BCS, refer for infection, assess the liver and kidto the Purina Body Condition System a few supplements that warrant ney function, and screen for various chart in my CR November 2009 article, consideration. metabolic diseases. Talk with your “Interpreting Dog Food Labels.” This veterinarian to see if your dog’s mediarticle is also available in the Articles cal problems are compatible with an section of the Magazine Forum at www.cleanrun.com/inagility lifestyle. If your dog has a serious medical issue such dex.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=447. as kidney disease, heart disease, or certain types of cancers, There is no panacea for the aches and pains of aging. There agility is probably not appropriate. However there are many are hundreds of supplements being touted as the solution senior medical problems that can be managed or treated and for whatever ails your dog. Be cautious about what you purwould not prevent your dog from continuing to do agility.

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Clean Run - May 2011

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