Nicholas DodmanReseñas

Finished this late at night while sitting up with my good old dog who was having some back troubles. This has solid advice, with some interesting facts about canine health I didn't know before. Recommended if you've got a senior pooch.

as a professional in the mental health field, I found this book very fascinating. Having witnessed the human versions of what was discussed, I can see myself applying that to the animal world.

I found this book quite interesting. I've worked with a lot of animals, including some with some serious issues, so it's comforting to know that medicine is working to help them. This book explores the "One Medicine" concept, which states that if a treatment works on one animal, it may very well work on others, and gives examples of using psychological meds for humans on other animal species.

è un po' troppo "americano"...e gli americani, si sa, eccedono

This was required reading for one of my pet care certification classes. I have to say that while I learned some things, I expected a book used in a class to be a little more involved. Readers with little to no experience who are looking to learn something about elderly dog care will find something new here, but if you are a professional care provider, I'd say use it only as a general reference guide.

Too many animals are euthanized for "bad" behaviors. There comes a point where many just can't take it anymore, and veterinary services and training haven't helped. I have been there a couple times myself it is devastating. What is these behaviors could be controlled through medication, if it was a medical issue ? The author Dr. Dodman studies animal behavior and has a revolutionary method of treatment that uses the same drugs given to help our behaviors regulate. Yes, human medicines for animals. Think about it, we are animals, our brains and bodies function much the same.
The doctor treats, animals (horses, cats dogs, birds) with OCD, depression, turrets, anxiety, autism...many common human mental issues. He explains in easy to read details about the possible causes of the animals problems and we follow him as he tries different doses of medicines used only for humans before. I was riveted to the pages, the transformation was so amazing for most it broke my heart for all the lives that never had this chance. As a breed rescuer I recognized many of the puppy mill issues and it gives me hope for an easier transformation for them.
This book should be on every animal rescuer, lover, veterinarian, vet techs, breeder's shelf. Priceless information and education. Great work, excellent writing, I'm a fan of this Dr.

*I was lucky enough to have received an advanced copy of this book for a unbiased review from the publisher

I was very lucky that my daughter brought this book home this afternoon. I have been reading through it this evening, and I can say that I really appreciate the information it is offering.
We have a "good old dog," though he is mostly an SOB. He is something like 14 years old, though, and has been in his twilight years for a while now.
This book helped because it talked about some of the typical ailments that older dogs are affected by, such as dental disease, laryngeal paralysis, diabetes, and cushing's disease. Though I have not read it thoroughly yet, the book goes into great detail about heart disease and conditions.
One of the things I really liked are the tips it provided, such as some things we can do around the house to make life a little more comfortable for our dog in his last years.
The book is written by veterinarians, but it sticks to layman's terms, which is helpful to a person like me. I would recommend this book as a resource for anyone who is living with an older dog.

This is a fascinating book written by an animal behaviorist and specialist in treating dogs with very serious problems. Combining science and psychology, this guy knows his stuff when it comes to animal personalities and genetic dispositions.

Most of the cases presented were worse case scenarios. However, it was interesting to learn about dogs with issues when their owners are not with them. Our Sheltie Lilly exhibits some of the characteristics noted whenever we go away for a few days. In particular, she misses Will. She refuses to eat and mopes.

The author cites some cases wherein a dog will literally develop anorexia and starve itself because of the love he/she feels toward his/her master and the grief of not seeing that person or persons.

I was amazed to learn that Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels are not necessarily calm dogs and MAY exhibit behavior problems regarding children. Citing cases wherein Terrier bull dogs are inbred for aggression, the author seems to not be a proponent of obtaining puppies from pet stores or puppy mills.

Citing the human brain and dog brain are similar, many dogs develop emotional problems like humans, such as obsessive compulsive disorders.

I picked this one up because my boxer is now nine years old and my lab is eight. My boxer seems to develop problems I've never heard of before even though I've been around boxers my whole life, so she keeps things interesting. This book was written by the faculty of the veterinary school at Tufts University and it covers all the health problems that may occur as a dog ages, such as heart disease, types of cancer, joint pain and arthritis. I had no idea that there is a canine version of breast cancer.

Good information, and certainly information one should have before their dog hits his or her last years. I enjoyed the personal accounts of specific dogs that started each chapter. However, the "sidebars" with additional information were placed in such a way that they broke up the flow of the text. Since the first few chapters were about terminal illnesses no one wants to face, the reading dragged along. I actually found the end of life decision chapter easier to handle. ??? The book I really want to find would have training tips for dealing with deaf/blind dogs, limited mobility dogs etc. This was more what to expect when you go to the vet with a dog in the last two years of life.

The subtitle to THE CAT WHO CRIED FOR HELP is ATTITUDES, EMOTIONS, AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CATS. If you own a cat, you'll want to read this.

This book is full of anecdotes, Dr. Dodman's experiences with cats and their owners at the Animal Behavior Department of Clinical Sciences at Tufts University. He shows over and over how cats can be trained and can be cured of annoying habits.

Read this book if your cat has a habit you wish you could stop but don't know how. I think most cat owners will admit to that. Dr. Dodman probably has a story to show you what can be done.

A problem you may have with it is that Dr. Dodman's solutions often involve drugs. But they did work. If a problem with your cat is driving you crazy, you may wish someone would suggest drugs. :-)

The problem I had with the book is the part you may want to skip. A woman brings a cat home that she found behind some buildings. Right away she had the cat spayed. But that didn't cure the cat's constant crying to go out. The meowing was loud and bothersome, so, would you believe, she had the cat's meow taken away surgically! Then she had the cat declawed. Then I don't know what else because I couldn't read more. I do know from the Introduction that the cat never did stop crying to go out. The woman just didn't have to listen to her anymore. The cat died.

If ever there was a case for letting a cat go outside, this was one! Skip that story. It made me sick.

Once you’re finished with the puppy books and the training and behavior guides, this is an excellent book if you want an overview about what to expect when your good dog starts to get up there in years. I had only planned on reading the chapter on arthritis and wound up reading it cover to cover. Even the chapter on renal disease helped me to better understand my cat’s issues. Other topics include nutrition, cognitive decline, cancer, keeping your older dog comfortable, and of course, the inevitable end of life decision. There were also lots of interesting stories about dogs brought to the clinics at Tufts.

This was a chatty, upbeat, and optimistic book about helping to give your older dog the longest, healthiest life possible.½

The books contains good ideas and information, but solutions to problems are not explained in such a way that owners can resolve the issue. I was often left wondering what exactly to do with the dog to implement strategies. But the ideas are sound and more information on specifics can be found once an owner grasps the concepts presented here.

I have to admit that I picked this book up at the library for two reasons - one the picture of the cat on the cover (isn't that kitten cute??) and two because it was about cats. But I'm game for anything, so I read up on the case studies of various cats this vet has seen in the course of his practice of treating abnormal behaviors. I've never had a cat with any of these odd behaviors - but all my cats have been indoor/outdoor cats. While my cats may have shorter life spans, this book convinced me that at least they will be emotionally well-adjusted during those lives!! Interesting stuff.½

This book was recommended to me by a dog trainer when my dog showed some signs of aggression. My dog didn't need medication or extensive treatment, but it was a very interesting read. Too often, I think, people give up "problem" pets without really taking the time to see how their own actions have contributed to a pet's behavior and how pets can be rehabilitated by re-training both pet AND owner.

Interesting stories from which you can learn a lot. These are extreme cases. Your dog probably doesn't need medication. -Sidney