Caring for an Elderly and Aging Dog

It can be hard dealing with a pet who is getting older. They start loosing their sense of hearing and sight, not to mention their teeth. Older pets begin to suffer arthritis and tend to need to see the vet more. It can all be troublesome for a loving pet parent to deal with, especially for a pet parent who wants the best for the good ole dog who's protected the family, raised the kids, and cheered up when you've had a bad day.

Currently, in my life I have a dog who's about 13 or 14 years old- to this day no one in the family can remember when we got him. He came to our family as a puppy, and has had a long and well-loved life. To this day, you can call and yell his name when outside, and if he's on the other side of the house sleeping, he's not going to hear you. But, on the off-chance that he does hear you, he'll probably have problems trying to find you, not knowing exactly where you're calling him from. He has slight arthritis, and he has trouble seeing, but the old man still barks at people who walk the streets and when the mailman drops by- of course only if he's lying near the other dog, who's also a senior at 11 years old, as otherwise he'll never know someone is coming towards the house.

But, anyway, caring for older dogs can be troublesome on the heart, especially as the dog weakens and ages. I'm going to try to outline the basic care that one should consider when caring for a dog in his geriatric years.

As for what age actually determines whether or not your dog can be considered a senior dog, that actually depends on the size of your dog. Generally, larger breeds hit their senior years around 6 to 7 years old, whereas smaller breeds generally reach the senior years in the mid teens. But, generally, around 7 years old, you can consider your dog a senior.

A few things that you can expect from a senior dog include:

• Overall slowing down. You'll begin to notice subtle changes when your dog gets up from laying down for long periods or when he tries to use stairs. General causes of muscle, bone, and joint concerns can be caused by arthritic and hypothyroidism.
• Graying. Generally dogs begin to gray around the face and muzzle. This is much more noticeable in dogs with darker colored faces.
• Hearing problems. Whether the dog completely loses his hearing or if he just has problem hearing every now and again, you'll want consult your vet just to make sure that the problem is caused by old age and nothing more serious.
• Cloudy eyes. Older dogs tend to get a blue-transparent haze over their pupil. This will not have much of an effect on the dog's sight, unless cataracts are a concern, to which you'll need to consult your vet; remember though, that cataracts is more of a white haze.
• Muscle atrophy. As dogs age, it's not uncommon for them to suffer some loss of muscle mass usually around the hind legs.

With older dogs, you want to keep a close eye on them, their health, appearance, and overall movement. You will want to consult your veterinarian if you notice any of the following concerns.

• Arthritis pain
• Bad breath or bleeding gums
• Sudden blindness, hearing loss, or head tilt
• Change in weight or appetite
• Change in urine output and overall thirst
• Hair loss or overall itchy skin (especially if the dog has never really had a skin problem)
• Muscle loss, especially in the head and belly regions (can be a sign of Cushing's disease or masticatory myositis)
• Any cognitive dysfunctions
• Any abnormal behaviors

When you have a senior dog, the best thing you can really do is make him comfortable. He's not going to act like his younger self and run around the block with you, much less really want to play fetch. So, what you can do is make him comfortable.

There are actually several different things that you may want to try and consider.

You'll want to make sure that you keep fresh water on every level or end of your home, so that you dog doesn't have to go up and down stairs or all over the house to get water. Also, consider raised bowls for larger dogs; it will reduce neck and back strain of having to bend down to eat and drink, aiding in overall digestion.

You'll want to cover tile and wood floors with rugs to help your older dog get around your house. Just make sure that you cover the main areas and walkways to prevent your older dog from slipping and potentially causing an injury. You can also prevent slipping and injuries on slippery surfaces by making sure to keep the dog's nails trimmed, as older dogs don't run as much, so their nails don't wear down naturally.

The lack of exercise will, also, increase obesity risks, which can increase heart disease, diabetes, and even early onset death, so you want to make sure that you give your dog low-calorie and low-fat treats but only occasionally; you also want to avoid feeding him table scraps. As for the dog's diet, definitely purchase a senior dog food, as they have less calories and fats than adult dog foods; they are also formulated better for senior dogs in regards to the right amount of fiber, sodium, antioxidants, and other additives.

You want to still walk your senior dog, but make the walks shorter. You may even want to consider a harness instead of a collar to help reduce neck strain.

You want to groom your older dog frequently, as simple processes like brushing can increase circulation and help your dog's overall skin. Regular grooming also gives you the chance to inspect your dog head to tail, checking for any unusual bumps, sores, or rashes.

You want to bring outside dogs in during extreme hot and cold weather, as older dogs are more susceptible to health problems. IE cold can enhance muscle stiffness and aching joints.

You'll want to use carpeted ramps and stairs to help your dog get onto the couch or bed, if he's allowed to be on the furniture.

You may want to upgrade your dog's plain old fleece dog bed with a bed that will help your senior dog. You can now find heated dog beds to ease pressure on aching joints and muscles, as well as dog beds formed to massage your dog as he sleeps and relaxes. Another dog bed you may want to consider if you have a dog with incontinence problems are the raised dog beds that have cotton/mesh material that allows your dog to stay dry if he has an accident, as the urine flows through the bed, where you'll want to put a pan underneath to prevent it from dripping on your floors.

And on that note consider dog diapers for dogs with incontinence problems, and never yell at a senior dog who has piddled on the floor. Remember that he can't help it. Just clean it up and continue with whatever you were doing.

You'll also want to be considerate if your dog is losing his sight. Basically, don't rearrange your house, as your dog no longer has clear eyesight, and the new obstacles can cause him to fall and cause an injury. Even if your dog loses his sight completely, he'll remember the general layout of the house, and shouldn't have any problems getting around.

You may want to consider blocking of the upstairs, or downstairs, portion of your house, depending on which area is the most used area of the house. This will keep your dog from using the stairs, which will only put his joints, bones, and muscles under more strain. Consider baby gates to block off the top or bottom of the staircase.

Disclaimer: Please be aware that the advice in this article should in no way replace that of a licensed veterinarian. The methods outlined above may or may not work for your pet. If you have any concerns, you should consult a veterinarian.