Old Age And Death Of A Dog

2023 Author: Molly Page | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 22:49

Unfortunately, dogs are given a very short life, and the time comes when the general favorite and darling of the family must leave us - this is inevitable and very difficult. Some happy owners manage to live with their friend for seventeen, eighteen years, while others lose him after a few years …

It is probably best to get a young dog when your pet is just starting to age. Many dog breeders do this because it softens the bitterness of parting. But not always an old dog is happy with a puppy. A puppy - with his boundless energy, stickiness, with his disrespect for the old dog's property, for its place, bone, toy and even for dinner in a bowl, with its partial appropriation of the owner's love - will he not cause irritation and displeasure in the old dog, and, which must also be taken into account, the strongest jealousy … Therefore, it is better not to be selfish, and if you could not take a friend or girlfriend to your friend when he was still young, you should not do this when he begins to feel the approach of old age.

Old age brings with it diseases: rheumatism, arthritis, toothache and ear pains, diseases of the liver, bladder, etc. We cannot cure the diseases of old age, but we must help the old dog and make its last weak years happy.

Caring for the health of your pet, carried out throughout life, requiring minimal costs and preventing diseases in old age, includes the following:

a) regular veterinary examinations;

b) deworming;

c) care of teeth and ears;

d) regular physical activity (in accordance with age);

e) an appropriate diet.

It should be noted that older dogs usually have decreased physical activity and an increased tendency to obesity

Feed your old dog moderately and sensibly. Do not let her get fat, although this can be very difficult at times. For older dogs, low-calorie food is recommended, low in protein, carbohydrates and high in fiber, vitamins, and vegetable oils.

Unfortunately, the dog cannot explain when it feels pain, and if we do not carefully observe it, it will continue to suffer quietly - without our help.

Many older dogs are very worried about severe toothache. The dog resists and trembles when we want to examine its teeth, and then rubs its muzzle with its paws. This means she is in great pain. Diseased teeth need to be removed in time, the dog will be a great relief from this. Freed from pain, she will again become sociable and cheerful.

Very often, dogs with long drooping ears suffer from ear pain, ear pain is more difficult to deal with than toothache. There is only one absolutely reliable and correct advice - from puppyhood, keep your ears clean and healthy!

Only constant attention to the condition of the ears, preventive cleaning once a week for the whole life will relieve lop-eared dogs from terrible pain in old age.

An old dog can become deaf and blind. If this happens, you should treat her even more gently than before.

Sometimes older dogs suffer from urinary incontinence. There is no way to cure this, so try not to scold your old friend, but rather cover the bedding with a layer of old newspapers at night.

Some older dogs have an unpleasant odor, thinning hair and oily skin. In this case, rubbing the wool with a sponge dampened with a solution of vodka and 9% vinegar in a 1: 1 ratio will help. Thanks to this - easy care, the wool will smell good and hygiene will be observed.

Protect the old dog from strong wind, rain, cold. On cool, rainy days, it is better to take the dog for a walk in a warm blanket.

Its place should be as far away from drafts as possible and have a soft coating - after all, old bones are sensitive to hard floors. Let's cover our friend's place with an old woolen blanket, and this will create complete comfort for him.

The old dog becomes very slow and does everything after much thought. Do not rush her and do not get nervous with impatience, but rather remember how a young, cheerful mischievous person pleased you when he was a funny and touching puppy.

Be attentive to the old dog when you have to go down or climb the stairs - over the years the stairs are given to her more and more with great difficulty, do not rush the dog and do not jerk - old dogs feel unhappy when they are spoken to loudly, harshly or forced somewhere hurry. You need to be careful and patient with them.

But the day of goodbye comes

Often old dogs die, slowly fading away …

If the life of an old dog becomes a torment due to age-related ailments, you must relieve him of it. It is unbearably difficult and excruciatingly difficult to decide on this, but your last duty is to do it for her, because she herself can no longer help herself.

No matter how difficult it is for you, take your old friend to the veterinarian yourself. If you can't stand it, ask someone your dog loves and trusts to help you.

Don't let your dog die with the consciousness of its own uselessness in the hands of an outsider, indifferent person

Source: Lyudmila Sharova