Life With Old Dogs Podcast

Pannus , otherwise known as Chronic Superficial Keratitis is an autoimmune disease frequently seen in senior German Shepherds. Pannus is a condition that affects the cornea (the clear part of the eye), which typically manifests as a reddish-brown, non-painful lesion on the eye lens and surrounding tissues. Both eyes are typically affected. In some cases, the lesions can grow quite large and affect...

As a senior German Shepherd parent, you may be concerned about your fur friend's health and well-being. One condition that you may not be familiar with is pancreatitis. The pancreas is a small organ that sits behind the stomach and intestine. The purpose of the pancreas is to digest food while also regulating blood sugar levels through the production of insulin, which helps move glucose from...

Megaesophagus (ME) is a widespread and potentially fatal disease that affects German Shepherds of all age s, and seniors are no exception. The disease is caused by a genetic defect that interferes with the dog's ability to move food down its esophagus and into its stomach. Without treatment, the dog will slowly lose weight and eventually die of malnutrition and starvation, or aspiration pneum...

Chronic kidney disease , which is a kidney disease that occurs over time, is a common health issue in senior German Shepherds. As our furry friends age, their organs don't function as well as they used to. This can lead to a build-up of toxins in their system and eventually kidney failure. While it's not always possible to prevent kidney disease, there are things we can do to help our Ge...

As your German Shepherd enters its golden years, you may notice some changes in its mobility. His once-sprightly steps may now be slightly slower, and he may have difficulty getting up after lying down. These are common signs of hip dysplasia, a congenital, degenerative joint disease that can cause significant pain and discomfort as your fur friend ages. Although hip dysplasia is one of the most c...

If you are a German Shepherd owner, you should be aware of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI), a potentially life-threatening disease. EPI is caused by the pancreas not producing enough digestive enzymes, which can lead to malnourished and other health problems. EPI is a common health issue in German Shepherds, so If your fur friend has symptoms of EPI, it is important to get him or her diagn...

Canine elbow dysplasia (CED) is a developmental orthopedic disease that affects the bones and joints in a dog's elbow. It is thought to be caused by abnormal growth or development of the bones and joint cartilage in the elbow, which can lead to pain, stiffness, and lameness. While CED can occur in any dog breed, it is prevalent in larger breeds like German Shepherds. It is the most common cau...

Older German Shepherds are at a higher risk for developing Diabetes Mellitus, which is similar to type 1 diabetes in humans where the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin resulting in high blood glucose. It is the most common type of diabetes in older German Shepherds. Therefore, it's important to be aware of the signs and symptoms so that you can get your fur friend the treatment he...

Dental issues can be a problem for senior German Shepherds, and the effects of poor oral care can be felt throughout the entire body. Like us, as our German Shepherds age, their teeth may start to wear down, and decay and gums may not be as healthy as they once were, which can lead to pain, infection, loss of teeth, and other health problems which can be life-threatening. Prevention is key, but so...

There is much discussion these days around the diagnosis of dementia in humans. But what about our canine companions? Like people, dogs can suffer from Canine Cognitive Disorder, otherwise known as dog dementia. This degenerative brain condition results in impaired memory, strange or unexplained behavior, weakened thinking skills. It is estimated that 14 to 30 percent of older dogs will develop do...

German Shepherds of all ages can suffer from degenerative disk disease (DDD), but the condition is more common in senior German Shepherds. DDD is the result of aging and wear on their spinal disks. As they get older, these disks (or cushions between the vertebrae break down, harden, and shrink in size, causing pain to shoot up into your dog's neck or back.  In this podcast, I talk about the s...

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is a common, merciless neurological disorder in senior German Shepherds that surfaces anywhere between 7 and 14 years of age, and is seen more in males than females. It is a slow, progressive spinal cord disorder that is similar to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in humans. In this #Lifewitholddogs podcast episode, we share our experiences with DM, products we use...

Cataracts are a common eye condition in older German Shepherds. As our fur friends age, their eye lenses become less transparent and more cloudy, resulting in reduced vision.  In this week's #Lifewitholddogs blog post, we'll go over the signs of cataracts in older German Shepherds, what causes cataracts, how to prevent it, if possible, and treatment options. To read the blog post, click...

Your senior German Shepherd has unwaveringly been by your side for the past ten years. He is your family and best friend, and you would do anything for him. Lately, you've noticed that he is not eating like he usually does or that he seems lethargic and depressed despite you taking him to all of his favorite places. You chalk it up to him being older and perhaps let this new behavior slide fo...

This week's #Lifewitholddogs blog post and podcast covers #3 of the top 20 most common health issues in senior German Shepherd series. Be sure to check it out. Bloat, or Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV) also known as Gastric Torsion, is a life-threatening condition that can happen to any dog breed of any age, but it typically occurs in deep-chested, larger breeds, such as German Shepherd...

Unfortunately, arthritis in your senior German Shepherd is a common condition that affects their joints. It can lead to pain, making it difficult for them to get around or even stand up without causing discomfort. Fortunately, there are many treatments available. In our latest blog post, we offer tips and suggestions for how to help your arthritic senior German Shepherd. We also have a coupon In t...

Have you had the misfortune of witnessing your senior German Shepherd suffer from allergies? If you answered yes, then you're probably are all too familiar with the ramifications that the allergies cast on both you and your stricken fur friend as you desperately try to solve the mystery of the, oftentimes, insidious affliction at work, sooner rather than later. Allergies in your senior German...

In Season 3, Episode 1 of the #LifeWithOldDogs podcast we listed the 20 most common diseases that affect senior German Shepherds, but many of the same diseases we listed, unfortunately, affect lots of older dogs. Therefore, since many of our listeners have multiple breeds of dogs, we decided to do a bonus season 3 episode to give you a broader perspective as to how a few of these diseases present...

Our fur friends don't live forever.....none of us do.... but as your German Shepherd ages, it's important to know the typical aliments your fur friend can suffer from and how to navigate the waters if something does come up, instead of being blindsided and feeling helpless. We want to help you with that. At the end of season three of  #LifeWithOldDogs   podcast and blog posts, we will se...

We are wrapping up season two ( Sanctuary Life) with my husband Ken (Mr. Woody's Place). Make no mistake about it, Ken lives this crazy #LifeWithOldDogs right along with me, and thanks to his good-natured, easy-going attitude, he makes an excellent team member that can totally be counted on at a moments notice. Now, this is a big deal, because you see, Ken did NOT have any animals growing up....

In the last episode, I covered what sanctuary life looks like here at Woody's Place Senior German Shepherd Sanctuary including what a typical day looks like for us. In this episode, I cover what a NOT so typical day looks like. These would be situations or events that come up from time to time that impacts our regular day, whether it has a pleasant impact on our day or a not-so-pleasant impac...

Did you ever wonder what it takes to care for a sanctuary for senior German Shepherds? Have you ever said, "I want to start a sanctuary."  In this episode of #LifeWithOldDogs I discuss what a day looks like for me from the moment I get up until I go to bed that night. I also touch base on how #Sanctuarylife is a serious commitment,  how it ebbs and flows, and how you are NOT going to get...

In this episode, Deanna Sackett from  Animale' Sanctuary joins us to discuss her sanctuary life. The ins and outs, trials and tribulations, and how and why she started and now runs Animale' Sanctuary. Many times we are asked, "How do you start a sanctuary?" But hardly ever are we asked, "What does it take to start and run a sanctuary for animals in need?" In this epis...

One thing about Sanctuary Life and #LifeWithOldDogs is that no two days are alike, and on any given day, we could get a new abandoned senior German Shepherd in need of our help. One of my top five questions is, " How do you get all the dogs to get along?" In this episode, I tell you how I do it. When the "newbie" arrives, he is most likely overwhelmed, scared, and traumatized,...

Often I am asked, "How do you get all the dogs to get along?" And recently another person looking to surrender their senior German Shepherd said, "It's harder to get my dog into Woody's Place than it is to get into Harvard." And there's probably some truth to that, because not only are space and finances limited, the bottom line is that we can't take every s...