Senior Pet Care – How to Help Your Senior Dog be Happy and Healthy
November is a great awareness month for pets, especially our senior ones. Not only is it Pet Cancer Awareness Month, but it is also Senior Pet Awareness Month and Adopt a Senior Pet Month.
Whilst we don’t want to think about our pets getting older, it is an inevitable part of our time with them. This month, my Lhasa Apso, Buddy turns 11 so I’m dedicating this blog to him, hence why it will be based mainly on senior dogs rather than other pets.
Dogs live for an average of around 12 years, although many do live much longer. As a general rule, dogs can be considered as seniors at the following ages:
Large and giant dogs – 5-8 years of age
Medium sized dogs – 7-10 years of age
Small sized dogs – 9-12 years of age
Cats are generally considered as a senior when they reach 8 to 10 years of age.
These are guidelines though and it is important to remember that each pet ages differently. A dog that is 8 years of age might act younger than another aged only 6. Equally a dog that is only 2 years of age, may act older than a dog aged 4. A lot will depend on the dog, the type of care they have received throughout their life, their exercise routine and diet etc, so always check with your vet to see whether they class your dog or cat as a senior or not.
Signs That Your Dog May Be A Golden Oldie
Just like us humans, getting older can affect our dogs in many ways. Over the last year or so, I have seen changes in Buddy’s health, behaviour, weight and willingness to exercise and as a result, we have made changes and adaptions to both our routine, his routine and also certain things within the house to help ensure he remains happy and healthy in his more mature years.
Ageing can cause physical, emotional and behavioural changes in our dogs including:
🐾 Reduced appetite
🐾 Increased drinking
🐾 Dental issues
🐾 Smelly breath
🐾 Weight loss/gain
🐾 Lumps and/or bumps
🐾 Intolerance to exercise
🐾 Slowing down on walks
🐾 Refusal to walk
🐾 Coughing
🐾 Lethargy
🐾 Mental decline
🐾 Breathlessness
🐾 Difficulty defecating or urinating
🐾 Urinary incontinence
🐾 Smelly discharge from the vagina
🐾 Changes to the skin and coat (colour and condition)
🐾 Deteriorating senses (sight and/or hearing)
🐾 Irritability
🐾 Cognitive/perception decline
🐾 More sensitive to temperature changes (hot and cold)
🐾 Reactivity
🐾 Fearful of new things
🐾 Clingy or a preference to be left alone
🐾 New or increased anxieties
🐾 Noise or movement sensitivity
🐾 Barking for no reason
🐾 Becoming distant
🐾 Staring into space or at a wall
🐾 Appearing dull
🐾 Stops greeting you
🐾 Appearing confused
🐾 New negative reactions to being touched and handled
🐾 Becoming disoriented or having difficulty with their balance
🐾 Increased tiredness and sleeping
Whilst some of these changes may be normal to the ageing process, many of the symptoms may be caused by a new underlying age-related condition that may well be causing pain, discomfort or even fear so it is imperative that you speak to your vet about any of the signs and symptoms you notice above. Our veterinary surgery (Priory Vets) offer Senior Pet Health Care Clinics which are designed to detect early signs of geriatric conditions which means any necessary treatment can start earlier, leading to a longer and happier life for your pet. Check whether this is a service your vet offers.
Helping Your Dog Remain Happy And Healthy In Their Mature Years
Senior pets are incredibly special. I have an amazing bond with both my dogs, but the bond I have with Buddy, has got even stronger as he has entered his senior years. I’m not sure why. Maybe it is because he has grown more affectionate in his older years. Maybe it is because I know he has given me unconditional love for almost 11 years and because deep down, I know I am getting closer to losing him and that thought scares me beyond words.
Whilst we can thank preventative medicine and better veterinary care as a reason for our dogs living longer, there is also much we can do as their guardians to not only help them live longer, but to help them live the best, most comfortable life they can as a senior pet.
🐾 Take them for regular veterinary check ups
Buddy is a regular visitor at our veterinary surgery. He has injections for his arthritis and immunotherapy injections for his allergies. He has each of these once a month (split over 2-week periods so he doesn’t have them all at the same time). In addition to this, he has 6 monthly health checks and we’ll also be attending one of their Senior Pet Health Care Clinics soon too. We have always worked hard to make sure Buddy doesn’t fear being at the vets and this has paid off as he is there quite a bit! Regular check ups’ are important as your dog won’t tell you they are feeling poorly or in pain, so it is up to you to be their advocate.
🐾 Feed an appropriate diet and monitor their weight
As you know, I am very pro feeding a nutritious diet for any aged pet but maintaining a nutritious diet with high-quality ingredients is one of the best things we can do for our senior pets.
It is much easier for older dogs to put on weight and we noticed Buddy’s weight gain after reducing his walks due to his arthritis, so we are currently adjusting the amount he eats to compensate. Obesity shortens a dog’s life exponentially. It also increases the risk of developing diseases and puts extra strain on the heart and joints. It is important to me that Buddy maintains a healthy weight for these reasons.
If your dog is now a senior, you may need to switch to a more appropriate diet, perhaps one that is lower in calories or a specially formulated one for certain age-related medical conditions. Always check with your vet first though and remember you shouldn’t change their diet in one go - it is best to gradually transition them over to the new food over 7-10 days to avoid stomach upsets.
If you have other younger dogs in your household, make sure they are fed separately so that your older dog can enjoy their dinners in peace and without the threat of competition.
We have also made it easier for Buddy to eat, given that he has arthritis in his back, neck and legs. He no longer needs to bend down to eat or drink, as his food and water are now provided in raised bowls which is more comfortable for him.
🐾 Manage joint problems
Feeding a nutritious diet and managing their weight will help here, but additionally, you could give your senior dog supplements. Joint supplements for dogs such as glucosamine, chondroitin, vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids all aid brain, skins and joint health. Buddy is on medication for his arthritis and pain relief too.
Keeping your senior dog warm can help sore joints as can massage, acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, comfortable beds – you may like to consider orthopaedic dog beds.
It is also important to provide appropriate exercise too!
🐾 Offer appropriate exercise
As your dog gets older, you will naturally see a decrease in their energy level and slowing down is a normal ageing process. However, it is still important to ensure that your dog gets some exercise, even if you have to encourage them! Muscles support joints so without good muscle tone your dog’s mobility will decrease.
Buddy still loves his walks, he might need a little encouragement sometimes but once he is out, he loves to play and enjoy his sniffari’s. Keeping an exercise routine is important in order to keep up his strength and muscle tone. We just do it little and often!
We still go on long walks with Fudge my younger dog, and Buddy continues to come with us, but we ensure we rest him in his carry case which I absolutely adore him being in and he loves it too. We know when he wants to rest as he stops and comes over to his carry case for us to open it for him. This is a great way for him to continue to enjoy the great outdoors safely with us on our long countryside walks.
You could also consider alternative exercise for your senior dog such as swimming (but in warm water), slower strolls, sniffari’s, scent or treasure trails, find it games, scent work, trick training (appropriate to your dog’s ability), toy play, snuffle mats and puzzle feeders etc.
🐾 Keep your dog’s mind working
Senior dogs can suffer from age-related cognitive decline so providing them with mental stimulation opportunities and enrichment is very important. It is a great way to prevent boredom, challenge their minds and encourage engagement. Click here for some great ideas for fun, calm dog games.
🐾 Consider weather conditions
Senior dogs can struggle with temperature changes. It goes without saying (hopefully) that you shouldn’t walk any dog in extreme heat, but remember elderly dogs are more prone to heatstroke than younger ones. Additionally, we try to avoid walking Buddy in the cold and rain as both can flare up his arthritis. If he gets muddy, we always use warm water to wash off our dogs and are sure to dry them as best as possible too. Both Buddy and Fudge has been desensitised to wearing jumpers and coats to help them stay warm during our colder walks.
🐾 Provide extra grooming and teeth care sessions
With less activity, senior dogs can develop more matting and they can also struggle to groom themselves as reaching parts of their body can become difficult with stiff joints etc. Grooming sessions are also a perfect opportunity to check for new lumps, bumps, cuts or irritations.
Older dogs can suffer more with bad teeth and infected gums. Buddy has just had a dental operation as he got a bad tooth abscess which affected his eye. As a result, he has had some teeth out and feels much, much better for it! You can help prevent teeth issues by brushing your dog’s teeth regularly with a doggy toothpaste, getting a professional clean when needed and offering suitable chews and bones for them to chew on.
Also, don’t forget to keep checking their nails too! The nails of senior dogs can become too long due to their reduced exercise.
🐾 Make adjustments to your home
It may be necessary to make adjustments within your home to help your senior dog navigate their environment more comfortably. Buddy’s arthritis has made some of the things he used to do much harder and even painful. Things like jumping on the bed and sofa have become very difficult for him (although sometimes he manages it like a spring chicken)!! We have always lifted Buddy into the van/car but other bigger dogs might benefit from steps or ramps.
Modifications don’t have to be difficult. These are some that we have introduced to make Buddy’s life at home easier:
🐾 Steps to climb up on to the bed and sofa
🐾 Raised water and food bowls
🐾 Anti-slip flooring (we have ALWAYS had this and always will as long as we have dogs). Any flooring that is a slippery surface is covered with rugs!
🐾 Stairgate to prevent access up and down stairs when we aren’t around to carry him.
🐾 Provide more opportunities for him to toilet in the garden.
My senior boy, Buddy is amazing. He has shown me unconditional love since the day I bought him home at 8 weeks old. I do and will continue to do my best to return that love back to him.
Hopefully, after reading this blog (if you’ve managed to get to the end as it’s a long one), you’ll feel armed with knowledge about your golden oldie and can make sure that you can give them the best quality of life during their senior years.
