Senior Dog Care

Lady was a throw away puppy that was unwanted and the people who had her were going to leave her to die in a box by the side of the road. A friend of my husbands saw a sign by the box saying free puppies - Take them please! There were two left so he brought them both home and we took the female right away, and the male stayed with hime. My girl is called Lady and her brother is Gunner, and still lives with his forever family. This is my very first pic of Lady taken at the vets the day I got her in September 1997. The vet thought she was approx 12 weeks old.

Here is Lady as a puppy around 4 - 5 months old giving me her lovely kisses.

Signs of aging in your dog are gradual, just as with us. Slowly becoming grey around the muzzle, slowing down, not a quick to get up from lying down, and sleeping more.

These are natural normal signs of elderly dogs, and are inevitable. Depending on the breed and size of your dog, the rate of aging can be quite different. For example at 10 years of age, a dog under 20 pounds is approximately equivalent to 56 human years. Compare the same aged dog (10 years old) that is over 90 pounds, and they are equivalent to approximately 78 human years.

Vets usually consider a small dog to be senior citizens around the 12th year. A large breed dog reaches the same stage around their 7th year. This is according to a report from Tuft's University.

Using established guidelines to determine when your dog starts entering their golden years will help to understand any changes in behavior and health. Keeping regular checkups with your vet is also most important as your dog ages, as any irregularities can be found early.

Signs of aging and tips to help keep your senior pet as perky as possible are:

Difficulty getting up from lying down, or limping and difficulty moving could indicate arthritis. Your vet can help recommend supplements or proper modified exercise routines to relieve discomfort, and increase mobility. Usually the proper supplements such as glucosamine will relieve mild arthritis symptoms.

Although graying hair and drying skin are quite normal in aging canines, a nice daily massage and a regular grooming routine can help your senior pet's skin condition improve. Also, because of the slowing down in daily routines for your senior dog, this can be your special bonding time set aside to make him/her feel special and also break up a boring day and give you both something to look forward too.

Certain breeds such a Labrador Retrievers are also known to be genetically predisposed to arthritis and hip problems. Different breeds have different genetic problems that you should be aware of when you first adopt your puppy, so you can look for signs of the problem as they age.

Excellent nutrition from puppy hood will help delay or decrease the speed of which the aging process proceeds. Don't overfeed your dog as obesity causes more diseases and illnesses which shorten your pet's life.

Keep your dog clean and free of parasites, fleas and ticks. This will certainly help increase the chances of a longer life.

Vision and hearing ultimately become diminished in your aging dog. Try not to startle your dog by changing his environment (moving furniture, changing the location of his bed, etc.). If his hearing is bad, using hand signals, and talking to his face so he can see you will help.

Sudden weight loss or loss of appetite needs to be checked out immediately by your vet.

Also a sudden increase in appetite, especially with no weight gain involved may indicate diabetes. Also a sudden increase in thirst is also a sign of diabetes. This also needs immediate attention from your vet.

Excessive panting in your senior dog may indicate heart disease. If this continues for more than a day this is another reason to get to the vet as soon as possible.

As with any dog, diarrhea and vomiting lasting more than a day needs to be checked right away.

And finally, and possibly the worst problems to watch out for in your aging dog are the behavioral changes. Just as when we deal with our elderly family members who have dementia or Alzheimer's, dealing with a pet with drastic personality changes can be traumatic for both of your. Some symptoms to watch for are:
Confusion, lack of attentiveness, disorientation, roaming in circles, barking for no reason, elimination accidents and being withdrawn.
Also uncharacteristic aggression may start in old age. Try to keep your old dog's environment as stable and unchanging as possible as this may help.

It is difficult to watch the deterioration slowly change our robust, vibrant and active puppy into a slow moving, tired and sometime cranky family member. With proper veterinary care and relieving unnecessary pains and minor problems the transition to becoming a senior dog need not be traumatic. We can always enjoy our pets at any age, just as long as our expectations change with their needs.