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Articles > Pet LossHelp Your Dog Cope With Death Of Canine Companion Like people, senior dogs can mourn the loss of a canine companion. Just ask Scott and Karen Thompson of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Last April the couple made the heart wrenching decision to euthanize Laika, their 10-year-old Samoyed. “Her time had come,” recalls Karen. The Thompsons took the death hard but so did Dudley, their 4-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog who was confused and upset by his friend’s disappearance. “He would go to her favorite spots where he’d (normally) find her lying -- in the dinning room, on her chair, in our room,” says Karen. “You could tell he was constantly searching for her.” In the weeks that followed, Dudley stopped playing and going for walks. He didn’t eat much. And he slept all day. “It was like we didn’t have a dog anymore,” says Scott. None of that surprises Nicholas Dodman, DVM, and animal behaviorist at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, Massachusetts. “Dogs do miss each other and mourn the loss of a friend,” he says. This is especially true when dogs are closely bonded, or where one relies on the other. Nancy Williams, a registered veterinary technician and Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, says many of her clients have noticed behavioral changes in their dog after a canine “sister” or “brother” has died. Those changes can include an increase or decrease in appetite, sleep pattern, and vocalization. “Most of my clients tell me the dog appears lost,” says Williams who has a private animal behavior practice in Manchester, Maryland. “They also become clingier with their owners.” Still, don’t assume the abnormal behavior is only brought on by grief. Visit your veterinarian, she says, to rule out a possible underlying medical condition. If your dog is deemed healthy, Williams suggests the following to boost her spirits: 1. Start a new activity with your dog, such as hiking, or sign-up for a trick training class that uses positive reinforcement methods. 2. Go for more walks. And go somewhere new like a park or beach. If you work full-time, hire a bonded and insured dog walker to take her for a stroll during the day. 3. Give your dog a massage, or take her to a professional canine massage therapist. 4. Play tour guide. Take your dog on short errands around town, or grab coffee at an outdoor café where you both can drink in the sights and sounds. 5. Set-up a play date with another friendly dog and owner. Most of all, give your senior dog enough time to recover. Williams says dogs usually bounce back within two or three weeks. But for a few, like Dudley, professional help is needed. The Thompsons consulted with Dodman who prescribed anti-anxiety medication. But the pills didn’t snap Dudley out of his four month long depression, the couple says. (There’s also a Dog Appeasing Pheromone diffuser sold commercially that supposedly reduce stress related behaviors but Dodman is not convinced it works.) After much thought, and with Dodman’s blessing, the couple brought home Missy, a fluffy white Samoyed puppy. Dudley instantly perked-up. He started playing again, and his tail, for the first time in months, began to wag. “He’s our dog again,” says a relieved Karen. ~ Staff, SeniorDogs.com If you would like to include this article on your site please include the following information with the article:
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