Senior Dog & Cat Tips

New Tools to Solve Potty Problems for Senior Pets

July 1st, 2021 by Ima Admin

Dog and cat incontinence is one of the most-searched senior pet problems in Google, and is a key reason pet parents of senior cats and dogs struggle to keep their pets comfortable. Incontinence also frequently triggers pet parents to question their pet’s quality of life.

“For many companion animals, incontinence can inadvertently become a death sentence. But the good news is there are a number of things pet parents can do to mitigate the situation, improving the companion animal’s comfort while lightening their own load as caregiver,” said Dr. Laurie Brush, founder of Heaven at Home Pet Hospice. Read the rest of this entry »

When an Old Dog Meets a New Pup

May 26th, 2021 by Ima Admin

Many pet owners have a tough time deciding whether to add a new puppy to the household when the resident senior dog is in decline. If you have the time and energy to manage encounters and meet the needs of each, it can be rewarding not only to you but to your old dog too.

“The majority of time the addition of a new puppy can rejuvenate an old dog, giving him or her a new lease on life and improving their quality of life. But it requires some time and management to work well,” said Dr. Laurie Brush, founder of Heaven at Home Pet Hospice. Read the rest of this entry »

Acupuncture and Chiropractic for Geriatric Pets in Pain

April 26th, 2021 by Ima Admin

The Heaven at Home Pet Hospice team sees aging pets in pain every day. With the right combination of care, they can often help those pets enjoy many more months – or years – with their families. Multimodal treatment may include medication, environmental modifications, nutritional supplements, and a variety of therapies from electro-magnetic loops to cold laser. Now Heaven at Home can offer an even wider range of pain-management options by tag-teaming with Dr. Molly Doyle of Resilience Integrative Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Doyle opened her mobile service in 2020. Read the rest of this entry »

Heartworm Prevention is Vital for Dogs – And Cats Too!

March 1st, 2021 by Laurie Brush

It’s tempting to skip heartworm medication during winters in Michigan when infectious mosquitoes seem a distant memory. It’s also hard to remember to restart preventative treatment before our wily weather teases us with unseasonal warmth.

Foregoing year-round prevention is like playing Russian roulette with your canine companion’s heart.

Read the rest of this entry »

Helping Your Senior Cat with Kidney Disease

February 1st, 2021 by Laurie Brush

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a leading cause of death in more than half of cats over 15 years old.

“A diagnosis of kidney disease sounds ominous, but can be managed. With the right diet, supplements, hydration and new medications being developed, it’s possible to keep senior kitties comfortable and extend their lives,” said Dr. Laurie Brush, founder of Heaven at Home Pet Hospice. Read the rest of this entry »

Space Age Pet Pain & Mood Management

January 1st, 2021 by Laurie Brush

Throughout the ages, the mysterious forces of electricity and magnetism have been thought to possess healing powers. While it might sound a little “Sci-Fido,” current research in targeted Pulse Electro Magnetic Fields (tPEMF) is producing new treatment options with promising results for cats and dogs.

“tPEMF, when administered correctly, is a great way to give an senior cat or dog non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical pain relief through the reduction of inflammation,” said Dr. Laurie Brush, founder of Heaven at Home Pet Hospice. Read the rest of this entry »

Life-Enriching Gifts for Your Senior Pet

December 1st, 2020 by Laurie Brush

The holiday season is upon us in this year “like no other” and there’s a good chance your bond with your fur-friend has been strengthened from all the quality time you’ve spent together. Pay it back with holiday gifts that will improve the quality of your senior pet’s life. Read the rest of this entry »

Holiday Manners for Pets Who’ve Gone “Wild”

November 11th, 2020 by Laurie Brush

After months of working in your pajamas, it’s easy to forget “fashion BC” (Before COVID). It might be just as hard for your pet to remember his or her “manners BC” for the holidays.

Joyous Jumpers

Let’s face it – your heart is jumping for joy to see a long-lost loved one. Will Fido remember them too? Behavior research suggests yes. While dogs don’t excel at traditional long-term memory, they do possess “associative” memory. A pro-social dog with a fond association of your guests might forget the “no jumping” rule.

“A behavior has to be a very well rehearsed with broad contextual understanding in order for your dog to recall it in moments of excitement,” said Kristi Swan, Certified Professional Trainer and owner of A Dog’s Life. “Dogs don’t generalize well.” Read the rest of this entry »

Fear-Free Care for Cats and Dogs

September 28th, 2020 by Laurie Brush

Your pet’s life can be improved by understanding the elements of fear-free handling. Many pet parents are unfamiliar with the science that has led to the relatively new understanding of the permanent emotional damage, behavioral issues, and lack of quality of life that fear and stress may impart on our pets.

A growing body of evidence shows that animals have heightened memory of handling when fearful, which creates a cycle of increased anxiety, and sometimes aggression. Fear and anxiety cause autonomic arousal of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and accompanying release of stress hormones, leading to increased susceptibility to disease secondary to suppression of the immune system. Read the rest of this entry »

Signs of Pain in Cats & Dogs from the IVAPM

August 31st, 2020 by Laurie Brush

September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, during which time the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management educates pet parents on signs of pain in their companion animals. As providers of pet hospice at home, Heaven at Home would like to take this opportunity to help pet parents ensure that their cats and dogs do not suffer needlessly as they age. Our hospice veterinarians are available for Quality of Life telemedicine consultations to help pet parents evaluate pain in their senior pets.

Can you imagine not being able to tell your doctor that you were in pain? Animals suffer from pain just like we do. Pain comes in many forms: surgical pain, arthritis, and cancer, just to name a few. Acute pain is obvious and distressing. Chronic pain can be subtle, and masked as “getting old” or “slowing down.” Age is not a disease, but pain is. There are many options to treat the various causes of pain in animals including pain medications, physical rehabilitation, and acupuncture. In addition, there are many environmental strategies that can help reduce pain, such as slip-proof and padded flooring, altered-height feeding, ramps, and other supports. Read the rest of this entry »