The needs of your dog changes as he gets older. Large breeds age more rapidly than smaller ones. Large dogs are considered elderly when they are six years of age, medium sized dogs may not show any signs of ageing until they are nine. Smaller breeds can get to twelve before they have any problems with ageing.
As dogs age the functions of their internal organs start to decline. They are less able to resist infections and may develop other diseases. It is important that you are aware of these chances and react to keep your pet healthy and active for as long as possible.
Older animals have different dietary needs than when they were younger. Senior dogs may not be as active as they were and need fewer calories each day if they are to maintain their weight and not become obese. They may not be able to digest their food as efficiently as they have in the past so the diet needs to be of a high quality and contain reduced levels of protein and phosphorus to maintain kidney function.
Problems an older dog may encounter include arthritis, circulatory disorders, a decline in the efficiency of their hearing, sight and smelling, possible mouth and kidney problems. Some older animals have a tendency to become incontinent
We like do full health checks on older dogs. We often do this at the time of annual vaccinations and take particular attention to check for the problems mentioned above and ensure that there are no bumps and lumps present.
There are some very good drugs available now to treat dogs that are suffering from arthritis. Watch out for the early signs, stiffness first thing in the morning a reluctance to run and jump gates. Dogs with arthritis tend to have more problems when it is cold and damp. They will struggle on long walks and may become short tempered because they are uncomfortable.
Treated early, we can often reverse these changes and keep the disease in check. We like to X ray dogs with arthritis to find out exactly what we are dealing with. It is wrong to stop the exercise altogether as it is important to keep your companion fit. This needs careful planning and a regular routine.
Dogs tend to suffer from different circulatory problems that we do. As the heart starts to work less efficiently fluid builds up in the lungs and it will enlarge and beat faster but less efficiently. Early signs are when a dog coughs in the mornings and lacks energy on his daily walks. When the heart enlarges it is more difficult for the valves to work properly. We can see all of these changes on an X-ray and determine the most effective treatment.
Modern drugs lower the blood pressure, relax constricted arteries and veins and encourage the excretion of sodium by the kidneys so that the heart is not working under so much pressure. Again we can maintain dogs with potentially serious heart problems and get them to have an active life, but we do need to start the treatments at an early stage of the disease process to get the best results. Dogs are a lot smaller than we are and it is important that animals with heart conditions have a diet low in salt. Crisps and bacon must be avoided as far as possible.
It is not always easy to tell how much your dog is hearing, but senile degeneration is common in all breeds. Make allowances accordingly.
The most common reason for failing eyesight in older dogs is when the lens of the eye starts to age and goes cloudy. This is not very noticeable at first, the eye will have a bluish tinge and the pupil will be dilated in poor light so that the maximum amount of light can be let into the eye.
Often cataracts in older patients develop only so far so that your dog will see the world through a mist all of the time. Rarely will cataracts progress to make you companion completely blind.
Dogs with impaired hearing and or vision are vulnerable to traffic and will not realize that cars are about. Take particular care of your older dog in traffic. Sometimes it is only once that they are run over so make sure they are under control when there are cars about.
Even in the worst cases most dogs with poor or no effective vision can manage to get about quite well. They quickly learn where obstacles are and unless you keep on moving the furniture can cope surprisingly well.
Cataracts can be removed surgically if your dog is blind and unhappy. This is a job for a specialist and will inevitably mean regular follow up visits to have the pressures within the eye monitored. Dogs that have their lenses removed can no longer focus on things, but they should be able to do most of the things they could before their vision was affected.
Because there are no tests for it and it is difficult to determine not a lot is written about dogs that lose their sense of smell. Dogs live in a world of smells that we cannot be a part of. In many ways it is the most developed of their senses but you may not realize at first that something is wrong. You can tell a lot by the way he reacts when he is off the lead, whether he is interested in lampposts or not. Dogs with a deficient sense of smell may show a reluctance to eat and may have no interest when you change his food.
Should you suspect that this has suddenly happened we need to investigate further to discover if there is a cause that may be treatable. It is a big thing for dogs to lose their sense of smell.
The other problems with smells may come from the mouth. All dogs will have a coating of tartar on their teeth; this may be no more that a thin layer at the gum margins that has very little significance. If it develops further the deposit may grow to such an extent that your dog cannot physically close his mouth properly. Significant deposits of tartar become infected and cause gingivitis. This is very painful for your dog, the toxins produced by the bacteria have to be dealt with by the liver and this can be affected too if the infection is ignored.
It is the gum margins that support the teeth and once this has been damaged the gums will retract and some of the teeth may be lost or get infected roots. We can do a great deal to keep your dog's mouth healthy. Often with proper toothpaste and the use of chews from an early age it is possible to prevent most of the problems. Once there is a significant build up of tartar it has to be removed with the help of an ultra sonic scaler under a general anesthetic. Your dog's teeth will be polished after this procedure. Not all dogs will allow you to clean their teeth when conscious and some will not use chews so it might be necessary to repeat this procedure from time to time to keep his mouth healthy.
Dogs are not so prone to kidney problems as cats are and sometimes it is difficult to notice the early signs. Some animals with renal infections will appear to have back pain, they do not always drink a lot more, but there will be a dramatic weight loss. A urine sample and blood test are required to determine exactly what is going on if you suspect a kidney problem. Any infections are treated by an antibiotic that is concentrated and excreted in the urine. If the kidney function is declining we might need to us a diet low in phosphorus and protein to support the function of the organ. Low protein diets can be unpalatable so you might need to try several different sorts to maintain his appetite.
There can be several reasons why you dog has developed urinary incontinence. Bitches are more prone to the condition than dogs. The most common reason is a failure of the nerves that control the bladder. Medication is available to alleviate this problem, although we do need to do a thorough examination first to be sure that there are no anatomical abnormalities or infections that are making the situation worse. Sometimes young bitches can be affected by this problem, but we can usually control things with the right drugs. In persistent cases that have not responded to medication, you may wish to consider a surgical alternative. Please ask for further advice.
Often when presented with an older dog we will realize that several things are not quite right. Your pet may not be stiff enough to require medication, perhaps his circulation is starting to decline and he is getting forgetful at night. Under these circumstances there is a drug available that works well with some patients, perhaps as well as more specific treatments. Called Vivitonin it has several effects on the body. First of all it dilates the smaller blood vessels improving the circulation to the limbs, heart and brain. Vivitonin makes the blood less sticky so it is able to flow better and has some effects on the airways improving the oxygen carrying capacity of the circulation.
The tablets have to be given twice each day and work better on an empty stomach or with a minimal amount of food. Sometimes it takes several weeks for the effects to become apparent. Be patient and you will find that your dog is more energetic, has a better appetite and an improvement in the condition of his coat. Some dogs that have become senile show a remarkable improvement on this drug with fewer times when they seem confused and fewer problems with incontinence. Vivitonin opens up the circulation in the brain and can be a great help for patients with impaired senses. After a stroke it can be most useful to speed the rate of recovery and normal function.
