Elderly dog doesn’t need more pills

I USUALLY ENJOY Dr. (Jeff) Nichol’s veterinary column, especially his humorous approach to animal behavior. So, when I read the letter describing the “Loved Dog with CDS.” I thought it was a joke, or a hoax he was about to debunk. I was horrified that he offered this poor animal yet more medicines, supplements and behavioral therapies to improve his quality of life.

The claims to improve a sick, elderly dog’s cognitive abilities, or to preserve his remaining brain nerve cells are ridiculous. I hate to think of the side effects that accompany these so-called improvements. His constant need for prescription anxiety and pain medicine is truly sad. He “does food puzzles which he loves”? How about, “when he’s hungry, I won’t let him at the food until he does a trick and wags his tail”? I know elderly humans who would rather skip a meal than work on a crossword at breakfast. This animal doesn’t get a choice, because food puzzles make him smarter!

I won’t go into the vet world’s financial incentives or the owner’s choice to spend a fortune on a pet with a painful, miserable, fatal degenerative disease — everyone has different ideas of monetary values.

Dr. Nichol did not mention one word about ending the dog’s suffering with painless euthanasia. That is unconscionable. He and the owner might call this situation a very special puppy love. I would (allege it is) animal abuse. JOAN WEISSMAN Albuquerque