Some of the conditions that commonly affect senior dogs, include diabetes, kidney and liver problems, arthritis or other joint pain, obesity and dental disorders.

Many of these health issues can be prevented before they occur, with a holistic-centered approach that includes nutrition, supplementation, an appropriate exercise regime and veterinary care.

Diabetes can arise from a variety of causes including viruses, chronic pancreatitis, chronic small bowel inflammation, obesity, hyperadrenocorticism (Cushings) and long-term use of progesterone or steroids, and of course – diet. An overload of carbohydrates, especially poor quality, which is no longer thought to be biologically appropriate, may contribute to many diseases including pancreatitis and diabetes. A minimal or moderate grain content is recommended and any grains should be whole and unprocessed.

For many years, a very restricted-protein diet was recommended for senior dogs as a preventive or management measure for kidney problems. More modern research has actually determined that it is the quality rather than the quantity of protein that is most important. Take a look at the ingredients in some of the supposed ‘kidney diets' – they contain lots of meat by products (which can include hide, hair, feet, feathers and other horrible components that are very hard for the kidneys to process), as well as chemical preservatives that load a senior's system with toxins and place an additional burden on an aging liver and excretory system.

Arthritis and joint problems can often be managed with an appropriate exercise regime, including gentle walking and swimming if possible, to help maintain mobility. Common supplements such as Yucca, MSM, Glucosamine and Chondroitin can also provide relief without the toxicity and side effects of prescription medication.

Obesity can be prevented or treated with diet and exercise. Sudden unexpected weight gain (or loss) should always be investigated to rule out an underlying health problem, involving the thyroid or other serious disease. Spoil your senior with lots of love and attention instead of too many treats!

Dental disorders can generally be prevented by regular cleaning. ‘Recreational' raw beef marrow bones are a wonderful way to keep the teeth clean, as are raw meaty bones such as chicken necks, if your veterinarian considers these appropriate for your senior (sometimes vets prefer to stay away from raw, for the very young and old, or immune compromised pets, so it's wise to check with them first). Dental cleaning at home may form part of a senior pet's over all care if tartar does build up – and many natural pet stores now offer anesthesia-free professional cleaning. A natural diet is also an important consideration. Don't be fooled that feeding kibble will keep your dog's teeth clean – it's like expecting a crunchy cookie or packet of chips to clean your own teeth!

As a general guide for senior healthcare and even for younger hounds: Routine blood-work and urinalysis can provide a useful ‘snapshot' of your dog's over all health and uncover hidden problems before symptoms arise. Vaccines should be minimal (titer tests are useful in determining if most of them are even needed at all). Flea and tick preventives should be used only when necessary. For those Senior dogs Remain extra-vigilant about unusual behavior or other health concerns, such as excess drinking, more frequent elimination, weight changes, lameness, lethargy or anything else that doesn't seem quite right. And remember to give lots of love and hugs and gentle walks, to ensure your senior still feels like an important member of the family!
Flint River Ranch has two senior formulas for your older dogs!

Using Cedar wood to mask litterbox smell

Q: Dear Dr. Shawn: ”What are your thoughts on using cedar wood shavings in my cat's litter box? One of my friends recommended this as the cedar has a pleasant odor which masks the typical litterbox smell”

A: ”Cedar wood does have a very pleasant odor, which is one of the reasons cedar closets are often built into some of the more expensive homes in our area. Having said this, cedar oils can be toxic and are usually not recommended for regular use in our pet's environment. Liver toxicity and lung irritation can result. Cedar wood chips, because of their toxicity, can be useful as part of an organic gardening plan as they can help in insect control. For controlling litterbox odors, I prefer some type of clumpable litter, such as those made from corn or wheat. Pressed, rolled shredded newspaper is also fine. To further control odors, I sprinkle small amounts of carpet freshener or litterbox freshener powder in the litter after scooping out the waste. Some cats can react to these products, so only a light sprinkling is advised.”

Flint River Ranch expands Atlanta call center and adds corporate web site

Customers who order Flint River Ranch dog and cat food and treats from All Our Pets Healthy Food will be happy to learn that it is now very easy to contact corporate by phone. In the past the 800 number for customers was just a menu-driven message line. Now every call is answered immediately by a live customer service representative. The call center is in Atlanta and open 8-5 EST time. You may call to place orders, establish billing, set up or modify auto ship or discuss any issues you might have. 1-800 FLINT58 (800-354-6858). You should have your customer ID handy when calling. If you have misplaced or forgotten your customer ID just send me an email and I'll email it to you if you are my customer (most of you receiving this email are). Once you have established your billing method you may also place orders by email at orders@frrco.com. Just be sure to include your customer number.

Flint River Ranch finally has a corporate web site at www.frrco.com. Customers who have already ordered at least once through a FRR distributor such as All Our Pets may place orders there. However, we would recommend that only customers who have high speed internet connections (cable or DSL) use this site for orders at this time. The site is developed in Flash - and is very flashy - but also loads very slowly for those of us who still dial up via a telephone line. At this time we still recommend using the 800 number or email for fast and efficient service. (When you order direct from the company I receive credit for the order just as if you placed it through my site). Or just place your orders through our order form at http://www.allourpets.com/store

You may notice that all of the pages of our web site now publish a disclaimer saying we are not the corporate site of Flint River Ranch. We feel that this is quite obvious, but Flint River Ranch has required all distributors to post very specific text on their sites. This is to alleviate the confusion that some customers had about sites that looked "corporate" and have domains such as flintriver.com or flintriverranch.com, and are just individual distributor sites. (When one of my customers places an order through another distributor's site I do not receive credit for the order.)