Aging/senior bullys.......

TessaAndSamson

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May 7, 2010
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Samson
Samson is going to be 7 years old next month. Seems like now that he is getting older he has been having more problems than when he was younger. In the last 4 months he's had 2 skin infections, one ear infection and a nasty intestinal bug. I was wondering if any other senior bully owners have had this experience, if this is something we will be facing for the rest of his life. He's had his annual exam recently and he's completely healthy, they have a special senior annual exam package at our vet where they did physical exam, x-rays, blood tests and parasite screening. Everything looked good. Thinking maybe age is just leaving him with a weaker immune system, trying to think of ways to help with that. It just bothers me so much because I am so attached to him, I love him so much there aren't even words to describe, I'm just not ready for him to be a senior bully.
 

Vikinggirl

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Im sorry I dont have any experience with senior bullies, but hopefully it's just a coincidence, and he's just having a rough patch with infections right now, and they'll clear up and won't return. But on the other hand he is getting older and will just like people have ailments and age related problems as he ages, but that doesn't mean there aren't things you can do to prevent things, or for relief of these things. There are a lot of natural supplements you can give him, such as apple cider vinegar, there are lots of benefits to this and there is a thread on the health forum about ACV, I'll copy and paste it for you. As well as you can give salmon oil, for the omegas, and Chondroitin for his joints. Your vet is probably a good source of advice as well for the health of your senior guy. Good foods, good supplements, and preventative care go a long way in prolonging the life of our pets,.

Current Article


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By Singing The Praises Of Apple Cider Vinegar on Jul 6, 2008 in Dr.Jeannie, Dog Health - Immune System, Dog Breeders Corner, Dog Heart Health, Dog Nutrition, Doggone Home & Garden Stuff


Apple Cider Vinegar


Apple cider is known around the world as Mother Natureā€™s miracle medicine, a powerful weapon in the war against aging and disease that is more effective than many high-priced prescription drugs. When God created this fruit He designed it be a food and a medicine!
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is golden liquid concentrated with the healthy goodness of apples. It contains more than 30 important nutrients, 12 minerals, over 6 vitamins, essential acids and several enzymes. Moreover, it has a large dose of pectin for a healthy heart, and thus, healthy as a whole.
Many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and substances are available in ACV to improve the health of your dog. ACV can provide them with enzymes and important minerals, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, chlorine,
phosphorus, iron, silicon and other trace minerals. The vitamins contained in ACV are bioflavonoids (vitamin P), beta-carotene (precursor to vitamin A), vitamin C, E, B1, B2, and B6. Tannins from the crushed cell walls of fresh apples as well as malic acid, tartaric acid, propionic acid, acetic acid and pectin (fiber) are also contained in ACV.
ACV is cheap, easy to use and it really benefits our health in numerous ways. ACV can benefit both people and their pets. It is antibacterial and anti-fungal and gives the immune system a good boost. As a high potassium electrolyte balancer, it remineralizes the body and helps normalizethe bloodā€™s alkaline acid balance.ACV is the natural king of skin remedies. It is wonderful for itching and scratching pets as well as a superb skin and hair conditioner. Good old apple cider vinegar either straight or diluted 50/50 with water can be applied directly to the affected area and allowed to dry. It will kill bacteria on hot spots, eliminate dandruff, rejuvenate hair, skin and help sweeten and balance the pH levels in the body. When giving your dpg a bath, shampoo, rinse, then apply ACV either straight or diluted, followed by rinsing with water. Notice, any residue shampoo will be washed out and you will feel and see an increased softness and sheen to the coat.
Apple cider vinegar is a powerful detoxifying and purifying agent. It breaks down fatty, mucous and phlegm deposits within the body. By breaking down these substances it improves the health and function of the vital organs, such as the kidneys, bladder and liver, by preventing excessively alkaline urine. Put a tablespoon of ACV in your dogā€™s drinking water every day and you will no longer have those brown spots in your lawn from the dogā€™s urine.


This powerful potion also promotes digestion, assimilation and elimination, all the while neutralizing any toxic substances that enter the body. Cider vinegar has been found to ..neutralize any harmful bacteria that may be found in certain foods. While dogs and cats do not have to worry too much about the bacteria in raw meat, if YOU are in doubt, you can pour a little Apple Cider Vinegar over thier raw meal.
Cider vinegar can also be beneficial for symptoms such as tooth decay and splitting of your dogā€™s toenails, which can be symptoms of potassium deficiency. Potassium is essential for the replacement of worn-out tissues within the body. This mineral is also important to soft tissue repair, as calcium is to the bones and teeth which makes it a wonderful NuVet Plus supplement here" onclick="replacer_hook(12)" target="_blank" href="http://www.nuvet.com/1101106">supplement for senior dogs.
Tests have proven that when potassium, in the form of cider vinegar is fed to livestock their appearance improves and their stamina increases.
Cider vinegar is thought to be beneficial in the treatment of arthritis, as a NuVet Plus supplement here" onclick="replacer_hook(12)" target="_blank" href="http://www.nuvet.com/1101106">supplement added to your petā€™s daily water supply (or poured over the food) or with compresses soaked in hot vinegar applied directly to the joints. It is also thought to be helpful when used to treat allergies, osteoporosis, cancer, candida, high cholesterol, constipation, muscle cramps, colitis, diabetes, diarrhea, depression, dizziness, ear discharge, eczema, fatigue, kidney stones, kidney and bladder problems, metabolism, and stiff joints.
The supplementation of ACV has been known to naturally remove red tear stains from the inside out. It is also used by many to prevent fleas when used in a rinse for the dogā€™s coat.
Recently, Dr. Louis Ducarre of Geneva, Switzerland, author of the fairly new book,Natural Cures, Natural Life states that when mixed with honey, apple cider becomes potent enough to cure cancer, heart disease and other deadly ailments .
Natural apple cider vinegar is found in health food stores. It should be a rich amber color with the ā€œmotherā€ quite visible as sentiment on the bottom. The strength of vinegar is important. All varieties of vinegar contain about 4 to 7 percent acetic acid, with 5 percent being the most common amount. Acetic acid is what gives vinegar its tart and sour taste.
There is nothing beneficial about commercial distilled vinegars except for pickling, cleaning and disinfection ā€”they have no health value!
Bragg, Paul and Linda, N.D., Ph.D., ā€œApple Cider Vinegar, Miracle Health Systemā€, Published Health Science, Santa Barbara, California
Jarvis, D.C, M.D., D.C. ā€œFolk Medicineā€, andā€œArthritis and Folk Medicineā€, Published Fawcett Publications, Inc., Greenwich, Connecticut
Puotinen, C.J., ā€œThe Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Careā€ Published Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, Connecticut
 
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cali~jenn

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Mar 28, 2010
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Oh Tessa, you and I both feel the same about our babies being 7. Hard age to wrap your head around. :( only think I have noticed with Cutty is his dang nose rope gets irritated easily when we clean it. Call me crazy but it does MUCH better when we don't clean it too often. Just cleaned it yesterday and his ropes r pink today. Using the same baby wipes as always but maybe he developed an allergy. Will have to buy sensitive skin ones and see if that helps.
 

Texas Carol

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Brutus & Cami live in Heaven
Awwww...Honey, it could just be coincidence he had those things, back to back.

Sounds like he's very healthy as per his vet tests indicate...as you know, some
bullies live to be 12-13 y/o...why not Samson?!!

Do you have him on a good muti/vit like NuVet. If his food has no probiotic in it,
this would be a great time to start. Depending on any allergies, a dollop of plain,
unsweetened yogurt will put those good bacteria back into his system. Also, a tsp
of coconut oil is a great antibacterial aid, 2/3 x a week, right out of the jar, no micro
wave, use the organic, virgin & cold pressed (I found mine in CVS, Walgreens) great
immune system enhancer, great for skin & hair. Garlic, tumeric & oregano oil also kill
germs/bacteria & strengthen immune system. PM me for a great holistic Vet's site for
specific doses, etc. Warmest regards & GOD bless!
 

Davidh

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Our BeBe will be 7 later this year ans she is not having any problem. We give her and out other bullies HardyPet Complete to help keep them healthy.
 

KMARINO

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Jul 21, 2010
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VEGAS and REBEL
[MENTION=574]TessaAndSamson[/MENTION], has the environmet been different lately? We have had pollen counts in the 10's for a couple months now, Vegas also got a very bad yeast and bacterial infection about a month and a half ago, so bad he was on meds for 30 days. Our Pollen count runs high here in FL. normally But not this early in the year!! Just wondering if due to allergies more than age???----@Davidh what exactly is HardyPet Complete? and at what age did you start giving it to your bullys?
 
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TessaAndSamson

TessaAndSamson

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Thank you everyone, I love that I can come here and get so much support :) He gets Nature's Variety Instinct, the salmon formula, not sure if it has probiotics but I do give him a dollup or 2 of plain nonfat greek yogurt daily and salmon oil on his food. I also give him a senior dog multi-vitamin that has glucosamine and chondritin in it, he has arthritis in the leg he broke as a baby so trying to slow down any issues that will arise with that plus hoping a multi-vitamin will help his immune system too. Plus he gets his atarax twice daily for his allergies.

Carol, I will PM you right now ;)

You know Kelly, it's always been a roller coaster ride with Samson's allergies. I can change absolutely nothing and he'll be a mess anyway during certain times of the year which is why me and my vet have chalked it up to environmental allergies. Well and food, really nothing works anymore but NVI salmon. Hmmm I didn't think to check the pollen count yet being winter...............wow the pollen count is real high right now. Not sure about before but it sure is now, my poor baby!!

I know Jenn, what happened to baby Cutty and baby Samson! Just kills me :(
 
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TessaAndSamson

TessaAndSamson

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Oh AND I recently started adding that Evanger's canned wild salmon, it's just salmon and I am hoping it'll help with this dry/scalyness that he's having with this last skin infection. At the very least it is making him a VERY VERY happy boy, he loves that stuff LOL
 

Davidh

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[MENTION=900]KMARINO[/MENTION] HardyPet Complete is similar to NuVet Plus, we buy it on line from HardyPet. We start giving it when they are about 5 months old.
 

bulldogs4me

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what age is a bulldog considered a senior? Madison will be 6 years old this year on Christmas Eve, is she a senior??
[MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] - do you give the HardyPet Complete along with other supplements or just that alone?
 

2BullyMama

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Banks turned 7 in September.... we have not seen any change in her at all, however, I do think Chelios being so active is keeping her on her toes and exercising/playing more than she did before.
 

Davidh

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[MENTION=6189]bulldogs4me[/MENTION] that is the only supplement we give them.
 

sherden24

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Gumbo is 7 and we got her when she was 7. She is our first bulldog so I have no idea what is normal or not. I have noticed that she is still pretty spry but she only plays in short bursts.
 
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TessaAndSamson

TessaAndSamson

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what age is a bulldog considered a senior??

My basis for calling Samson a senior was my vet referring to him as a senior. Your question made me curious though so I googled it. Multiple sources online say dogs are considered to be a senior in their last 25% of their breed life expectancy. Well when you look up life expectancy for bullys it's quite low unfortunately, most places say only 8-10 years so senior years would start at 6-7.5 years old. BUT if you ask me, most EBN bullys will live closer to that 10-12 year mark because we all take such great lengths to keep our bully babys healthy.
 
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TessaAndSamson

TessaAndSamson

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Gumbo is 7 and we got her when she was 7. She is our first bulldog so I have no idea what is normal or not. I have noticed that she is still pretty spry but she only plays in short bursts.

I think that is quite normal for a bully :)

I'm glad to see so many positive responses, I am starting to believe the idea that this is all just a coincidence :)
 

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