DOG OWNERSHIP

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Constance smelled smoke. John, then 12, was showering in preparation to go to a French lesson. Franklin and Rosie were hanging out in their usual spots-he under the couch; she, on it. I was at the office. Typical day.At first she tried to ignore it. Someone must have their fireplace going. It was one of those raw March days. But the odor grew stronger, and seemed to be more prominent on the side of the house, whereas its usually our neighbors across the street who are the most likely to throw logs on the grate.

In his delightful book, Off the Leash, about a grown mans very first year with his very first, very beloved puppy, author Matthew Gilbert asks, Why get a dog when its life will end, probably before yours? He then goes on to answer the question: Because its worth the pain of loss."Like so many others, he had, as he puts it, begun to understand and accept the bargain. He acknowledges that his yellow Lab, Toby, would leave…someday. But, he says, I was blocking that fact as much as I could, successfully, rather than obsessing about his death so much that I forgot to enjoy him. I was not pregrieving him, just savoring him.

The best way for an old dog to die would be the same as the best way for a person-peacefully, in his sleep, and suddenly, because of a stroke or some other incident that takes his life in a single moment. Unfortunately, as with people, most dogs dont die easy. Theres a better-than-even chance that euthanasia is one of the choices you will make for your pet.

1. Your 13-year-old dog has laryngeal paralysis, a progressive condition that is making it harder and harder for her to breathe. She's getting to the point where she's literally struggling to take breaths. You

a) Schedule a surgery to treat the condition.
b) Know that the breathing problem is going to continue to worsen and will just put her down when you have to because the risks of anesthesia that go along with the surgery are too great for her.
c) Wait and see.

The second Saturday in May is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day (May 14th this year), and by the look of things, preparedness for disaster is becoming all the more important. Last years wildfire season shattered national records, with more than 10 million acres burned. And while tornado season is officially mid-March through June, violent tornadoes and major tornado outbreaks have been documented in the United States in every single month of the year.

A few years ago Hill's Pet Nutrition started a Disaster Relief Network as an extension of its Food, Shelter & Love Program. It is comprised of more than 100 shelters nationwide that are on board to expedite fulfillment of dogs' and other pets' food needs when the areas they are in or near are affected by catastrophic events, disrupting lives.

[From Tufts August 2010 Issue] Its a hot summer day, and you return to your car after shopping at the mall. As you look for your keys, you glance at the car next to you and see a dog inside, panting, obviously in distress. What should you do? First and foremost, a concerned citizen should try to find the owner of the vehicle, says animal law attorney Jonathan Rankin, a graduate of Tufts Universitys Master of Science…

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It seemed Franklin had a problem down there, as my Aunt Ceil would have put it. At first we - and his veterinarian - thought it was just an infection. There was swelling in the area near his penis, and the doctor put him on antibiotics. That cleared up the swelling around the edges, but the doctor said he still had a mass that didnt look right. She took a needle aspirate and examined the contents under a microscope. There were no cancer cells. But she said that alone couldnt rule out cancer. (Let the sweating and yes, tears, begin.)

Many pet owners love to consult Dr. Google, says Tufts veterinarian Alicia Karas, DVM, facetiously. Not that she doesnt understand the allure.

Its tempting, she comments, right there at your fingertips. Its free, she adds. And it seems spot on. My dog is limping - how can I get her through this without a visit to the vet? Ah, heres the answer.

The problem, Dr. Karas says, is that not even the best pet-related sites on the Internet can walk you through how to take care of your own particular dog with his own particular circumstances. There are just too many variables. The issue gets particularly serious when it comes to dispensing drugs.

Q: When I talk to my dog, Charlie, he usually cocks his head, as if he is really listening and understanding what Im telling him. Do dogs know words, or is he just listening to the tone of my voice?

A: Dogs read your voice tone more than the actual words to gauge if youre delivering praise or discipline. Try this test with Charlie. Stiffen your muscles, grab a telephone book, and begin to call out the names alphabetically in a stern, low tone in