More dogs today are living to a ripe old age. Thanks to advances in nutrition and preventive veterinary care and medicine, their owners are able to enjoy their companionship for years after they retire from the performance circuit.
Considering that four out of 10 dogs seen by veterinarians are age 6 or older,1 it is not surprising to see more geriatric health programs providing specialized care. Veterinarians accustomed to working with senior dogs are able to readily recognize physiologic changes and recommend diets suited to the nutritional needs of individual dogs.

Owners should try to learn from their veterinarian whether their dog's nutritional needs are changing as part of the aging process. A common physiologic change in senior dogs is a changing body composition characterized by decreased lean body mass and increased body fat. Lean body mass accounts for 95 percent of the energy used in metabolic processing.2 In humans, the loss of lean body mass results in a loss in physical strength and motor coordination.3 Loss of immune function also may occur3 as well as higher rates of morbidity and mortality. This examination provides a benchmark for assessing age changes in an individual dog.
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Possible salmonella link prompts Mars pet food recall

Mars Petcare US has announced a voluntary recall of some of its pet-food products. The recall cites potential salmonella contamination. It involves all dry pet-food produced at its plant in Everson, Pennsylvania, between February 18th and July 29th. The company's news release doesn't say how much pet food is involved but says the recall covers 31 states and includes some of the products marketed by various brands.

Among them are Country Acres, Retriever, Doggy Bag, Members Mark, Natural, Ol' Roy, Special Kitty, Paws & Claws, Pedigree, Wegman's, Pet Pride, PMI Nutrition and Red Flannel. FRANKLIN, Tenn. - Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall Friday of all dry pet food products produced at its plant in Everson, Pa., between Feb. 18 and July 29, citing potential contamination with salmonella.Mars, in a news release, did not say how much pet food is involved, but said the recall reaches 31 states and various brands and said the action was taken as a precaution. "Even though no direct link between products produced at the Everson plant and human or pet illness has been made, we are taking this precautionary action," the company statement said.
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Animal advocates bring in more than 2,500 pounds of pet food in food drive

LAKE FOREST – A South County animal advocates group has stepped in to help owners struggling to feed themselves and their pets. Over the weekend of Sept. 13-14, members of the South County Animal Shelter Coalition and Friends of Lake Forest Animals collected more than 2,500 pounds of pet food and took it to South County Outreach – a food pantry serving most of South County's needy families. More food is expected to come in throughout the week. Donations have come in from as far away as Corona and Los Angeles. Some local Orange County schools have also expressed an interest in helping out with the pet food drive.

Volunteers hope the influx of food will allow those served by the pantry to consume the human food and have actual pet food available for their animals. In addition they hope that providing food for the pets will allow people to keep their animals rather than abandoning them at local shelters. At Mission Viejo's Animal Services Center, shelter officials are finding animals abandoned at their gate. Others are brought in as strays. Animals have also been found in foreclosed homes in South County.
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Every dog has their day: Mutt Strutt, Pet Expo planned for Saturday

The following is a brief of the story. For the full version, see the Tuesday, Sept. 16 print edition of the BDN. Dogs – and their human companions – will have the chance for excitement on Saturday during the Mutt Strutt Dog Show and Pet Expo. The event will be held this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Missouri National Guard Armory in Boonville. Registration for the Mutt Strutt begins at 9:30 a.m. and dogs can be entered into any of the nearly 20 categories. Some of the categories that can be entered include: longest hair, curliest hair, best kisser, best trick, best of humane society (open to any rescued dog) and best of show. The winners of best of show will be invited to ride in a float during the Christmas parade.

A fast and easy way to offer water when you're away from home. Plastic Handi-Drink bottle has a hinged attachment that fits snugly onto bottle when not in use. When your pet is thirsty simply squeeze water out of bottle into lid that converts into drinking bowl. No spills or leaks! Great for walks, sports, camping, and car trips. Diaper Garments are the perfect answer for pets experiencing excitable urination, pets with incontinence, female pets in season and puppies not yet quite housebroken. Each garment is for comfort as well as an absorbent mesh liner for protection from leakage.
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Cook up some healthier pet food

Feeding fido homemade, healthy dog food. Larger screen E-mail this clip. FALL CITY, Wash. - Teri Sahm, owner of "All Dogs Go To Heaven," has made a business out of fighting pet diseases and high food costs with homemade recipes anyone can make. "With the most recent pet food recall it really woke a number of us up to the danger of not knowing what in our pet's food, and so many people have started making their own pet food at home," she said.

It's what you don't know that can hurt your pet. Meat byproducts are the less desirable ingredients for human consumption. Meat and bone meal, no longer an approved ingredient in many countries, are still in U.S. pet food. Some foods include anti-caking agents, coloring, humectants used for plastics and even more unsavory ingredients. "Organic is important because you want to eliminate the exposure to pesticides. And many of our dogs because of their size are more susceptible to pesticides, more so than people because of the size. It would be equivalent to children, small children, also more susceptible," said Sahm. The editor of Seattle Dog magazine, Tove Warmerdam, is a fan of Sahm's pet food making classes. Held in various locations, they teach dog owners how to really read a label.