Old dog wisdom: how to help yours live a longer, healthier life.(holistic vet: natural and conventional pet care blended)(treatment of age-related conditions)

All of us would like to share as happy and as healthy a life--as long as we possibly can--with our kindred spirits. We can do much through preventive nutrition and appropriate supplements--along with exercise and love--to help keep our animal friends as healthy as they can be in their senior years, while treating many of their geriatric' issues.

Healthy Aging

In human health care, there is much interest in anti-aging medicine--the application of scientific and medical technologies for the detection, prevention, treatment and reversal of age-related conditions. These concepts are beginning to be explored in veterinary medicine as well.

Aging has traditionally been considered a natural, genetically programmed process, which--combined with the long-term effects of free radical damage and environmental toxins--involves all cells in the body. Decreased absorption of nutrients and decreased functioning of bodily processes also lead to age-related diseases. Recent research by a number of pet food companies documents what has long been known by natural health care professionals: Higher dosages of antioxidants and other nutrients are beneficial in preventing many diseases.

Then there are diseases that show hereditary predispositions in certain breeds of dogs. We see breeds that tend to live longer than others and certain cancers that predominate in particular breeds. One question is whether these conditions can be prevented for an extended period of time with nutritional supplementation. This has opened up a new area in human medicine--known as nutritional genomics--although it hasn't been extensively studied in veterinary medicine yet.

Preventive Care

In my experience, however, natural health care can be beneficial in the treatment and prevention of various conditions. A preventive health pro gram that includes proper nutrition, exercise and condition-specific nutrients may help prevent certain conditions and help our animals live longer with quality and dignity. And regular examinations and blood tests may be able to pick up problems before they manifest--while we still have time to slow down the progression or even reverse the condition.