Our chocolate labrador retriever, Aquinnah, is 13 years and 11 months old. That’s a good old age for a lab, especially a chocolate. They tend to have shorter lifespans than their yellow and black counterparts.
Every morning after breakfast, Quinn, as my husband, Paul, and I call him, comes over to me to be praised and petted. He’s not the sort of dog who will curl up next to you on the couch, like his sister dog, Martha. But he does enjoy a good “love session.”
I’ve always noted his broad shoulders. But lately, I’ve also been thinking to myself that it’s amazing he still has them at his advanced age. He’s not skinny and wizened at all.
I attribute this to preventative medicine. It works for humans, and for dogs.
There’s no doubt that Quinn has declined over the past two years. He is mostly deaf. Quinn has a a condition called laryngeal paralysis, which causes not only a hoarse voice, but also weakened hindquarters. He doesn’t walk as far as he used to and he has some trouble getting up stairs.
But Paul walks him several times a day, and Quinn does well. He can still climb those stairs. He’s got an excellent appetite, and enjoys playing “school” every night after supper. This is when I take him and Martha through their paces, practicing commands like sit, hold, paw, with each task rewarded with a small treat.
Quinn still has a good quality of life.
Since he came into our lives at the age of 16 months, Quinn has enjoyed healthy food, ample exercise and regular medical attention. I know this has made a difference for him, and Martha. At age 11, she has much more energy than most “senior” dogs.
Quinn and Martha are the fourth and fifth dogs Paul and I have had since we were married in 1986. Our first dog, Nellie, suffered with bad skin. In the last few years of her life, we had to have her professionally groomed each summer, her fur cut extremely short, so she could be comfortable.
Nellie and her sister dog, Baxter, also frequently had ear infections. I smartened up toward the end of their lives, and began feeding them more natural, higher quality foods.
Quinn and Martha have never had any skin problems. Aquinnah’s ears need frequent cleaning, but I don’t believe he’s ever had an infection. I really think the food makes a difference.
As it does for people. I just finished a battery of diagnostic procedures (simply because I was due for them), and—hallelujah—I appear to be in good health. I have put my hope, in the last 30 years or so, in preventative medicine.
First, I gave up meat. I haven’t had beef, pork or lamb since 1984. I occasionally eat chicken and turkey, as well as fish and shellfish.
I eat a lot of vegetables and beans, as well as berries at breakfast and citrus at lunch. I’m not averse to gluten, but I don’t eat much bread or any pastries anymore. I do love pizza and pasta. My vices are Dunkin’s flavored iced coffees and potato chips (all natural, though). I also like to make Via Mocha Lattes from Starbucks as a mid-morning snack at work.
After reading Dr. Andrew Weil’s books a decade ago, I began cooking strictly with olive oil, and I follow much of his other advice. I take a daily walk; sometimes it’s only 15 minutes, but I get it in.
I’d like to do more yoga, more meditation, more strength training. All I can do at this point is keep trying to work it in.
I have no doubt that a certain level of good health is within our grasp, for both ourselves and our pets. The “standard American diet,” as it’s known, is heavy on red meat, white flour, sugar, and highly processed foods. A reliance on these foods can lead to obesity, which then leads to other health problems.
I have observed people who lived to an advanced age despite their unhealthy diets and lack of exercise. But their quality of life at the end was not good.
People who take the best care of themselves can also develop serious health problems, of course. Environmental and genetic factors also play roles in our health.
I don’t see my lifestyle choices as a guarantee. They are more of an investment. I want to stay healthy as long as possible. If I’m blessed to make it into my 70s and beyond, I want to be out there having fun!
Once when I was having a medical test, I commented to the technician, “It seems like once you hit 50, things start going wrong.” She said, “I’m in my 40s and things are going wrong.”
I was being pessimistic. The test was negative, and I made it through that decade without any major health issues. You can bet, though, that I kept cooking with olive oil and eating berries. I may have done it with more enthusiasm than ever.
Quinn had a health scare recently. We thought we were going to lose him. But an enthusiastic young veterinarian was determined to get him back on his feet. Quinn may have had a seizure; we may never know. But now he is taking pills to help with arthritic pain, and he has a new lease on life. He’s a trooper.
I treasure every day with him—every day that he heads enthusiastically to his food bowl to devour his healthy food.
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