Elderly Dog care

2023 Author: Molly Page | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-07-31 03:34

The length and quality of a dog's life depends on many circumstances, but the main thing is proper care and concern of the owner. It is in relation to an elderly pet that one can judge a person's attachment to his dog.

Behavior and character. Older dogs usually behave more sedate and with great dignity, become conservative in their habits, therefore they can hardly endure a change of environment. They can become naughty, irritable, grumpy. Especially often the character deteriorates in dogs suffering from serious diseases, experiencing discomfort and constant pain.

Some older dogs become timid, fearful, insecure. Others, on the contrary, hurt young dogs, trying to maintain a leading position.

In relation to their owners, dogs become more intrusive, jealous, resentful, can withdraw into themselves and withdraw from communication. Spending most of the day half asleep, at night "old men" stagger around the apartment because of insomnia.

Dogs are extremely difficult to endure emotional and physical overload, stress is simply destructive for them. There are cases when a rather vigorous dog became decrepit and helpless after suffering stress (loss of the owner, car accident, etc.).

Aging and disease. In older dogs, it is often impossible to draw a line between age-related changes and pathology. Due to a decrease in the function of the immune system, the symptoms of diseases appear "pale" and the owners do not always pay attention to them in a timely manner. But even harmless symptoms in an old dog may indicate the development of serious diseases.

Some dogs become pronounced meteopaths, their health is determined by weather conditions, which can also mislead the owners (the ailment is attributed to the weather). By old age, animals acquire a whole "bouquet" of chronic diseases. This must be taken into account when selecting and prescribing drug therapy, so as not to upset the delicate balance in the aging body.

Drug sensitivity often changes. The dosage of even the most harmless drug should be selected taking into account the age, since intoxication may occur due to a decrease in liver and kidney function.

Dog for a walk and at home. Many older dogs, especially large ones, suffer from diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Usually, owners notice that the dog has difficulty getting up and down, awkwardly turns around, with difficulty going up and down the stairs, easily loses balance.

Exercise is necessary for an older dog to maintain muscle tone and joint flexibility, but the attitude to walking should be reasonable. In good weather, you can linger outside. However, one should not be led by dogs that have retained their temperament and playfulness until old age. It is one thing to give the dog pleasure, another is not to calculate its strength and bring it to exhaustion. It should be remembered that the ligaments become less elastic with age, and the bones become more fragile. Even minor injuries heal very badly, so you need to watch the dog carefully while walking. After playing or running into other dogs, an older dog may complain about its legs or spine. In addition, overexertion while walking is fraught with weakness, attacks of cardiac arrhythmias and shortness of breath.

During icy weather, it is better to walk large dogs on a harness and a leash. If your dog’s legs are parted and he begins to fall, you can support him and soften the blow.

Vision. After eight years, the dog's visual acuity decreases. This may be due to various diseases: glaucoma, atrophy of the retina and optic nerve, but most often - with age-related changes in the lens. A barely noticeable, light bluish "haze" in the dog's eyes speaks of the beginning cataract. To suspend the process, eye drops are used: katachrom - oftan, taufon, 1-2 drops 2-3 times a day for long courses. With the developed cataract, surgery is indicated. If this is not possible, then the blind dog is walked only on a leash, along a familiar route. At home, so that the dog is not injured, do not leave dangerous objects in its path.

A decrease in visual acuity can occur without visible changes. Then this is indicated by such signs as the dog's unwillingness to walk in the dark, caution, overcoming with difficulty or with a "stock" of minor obstacles,

Blindness of only one eye can lead to rather unexpected behavioral reactions - fright or aggression towards familiar dogs that suddenly appear from the side of the diseased eye. Or the dog suddenly does not "fit" into the opening of a door or gate.