Manuela Chimera Learning how to care for an elderly dog is essential, both from a health, management and nutrition point of view. This is because older dogs need special care and attention: a 14-year-old dog, in fact, cannot do the same physical activity or eat the same things as when he was two years old.
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While we all wish our four-legged friends could be with us forever, we must admit that they grow older much faster compared to us. As our dogs grow older, it becomes critical to know how to care for a senior dog.
Helpful hints on how to help an aging dog
Care for a senior dog entails understanding that, physiologically, a 14-year-old dog is different from a 2-year-old dog regarding metabolism, diet, and health.
Even though your dog may still behave like a playful puppy, age usually brings with it several problems. The metabolism pace of an aging dog slows down and its body mechanisms change.
The food digestion might become problematic; they gain or lose weight without changing the amount of food; and they develop joint pain, which means that you need to keep walks shorter.
Apart from this, the older generation of dogs may have reduced eyesight as well as hearing; they are becoming more sensitive to certain movements and require special food as well. Here are some helpful tips on how to take proper care of your aging dog.
Exercise older dogs
The fact that your dog is getting older doesn’t imply that they shouldn’t be taken for a walk or exercise anymore. The trick is working out and adjusting according to the health and physical state of your dog.
If they become completely sedentary, they will have the muscle loss and weight gain associated with advanced aging. If you find that your aging dog is becoming less active, don’t write it off to “old age.” They may be feeling joint pain or some other health issue that needs attention. Many owners believe that slowing down is a part of aging, yet more often than not, the culprit is unresolved pain.
Schedule regular checkups with your vet
If you notice that he sleeps more and is less playful, eats less, and has some abnormalities in stool or urine, then it is time for your buddy’s veterinary checkup. Periodic blood and urine testing helps to monitor the health of your dog and results in early identification of kidneys, liver, and bladder problems while symptoms are still minimal.
Provide your dog with a comfortable place to sleep
If your dog suffers from arthritis, then it is crucial to make his sleeping spot comfortable and pain-free. Heated beds or orthopedic dog beds are designed to soothe painful joints and can help ease them in sleep.
Adjust their diet
A 14-year-old dog’s digestive system isn’t as proficient as a 2-year-old’s. Just as humans often find that our digestion slows down some with age, so too often do our older dogs, and dietary changes may be in order. In the event your dog doesn’t have a specific diet that he needs to be on, there are many dog foods formulated to meet the nutritional needs of the older dog. If you are feeding a homemade diet, consult a canine nutritionist for proper adjustments.
The protein intake usually needs to be lowered; however, it is important to ensure that whatever proteins are provided must be of high biological value. Changes in the content of carbohydrate, fat, and fiber also need to be made.
Supportive harnesses
Special support harnesses can provide your arthritic, leg-pain, or spine-affected dog with more comfort as he walks. They can be extremely useful in helping your dog to walk, and go up and down stairs, and even into the car.
Modify the environment to your dog’s needs
A little modification to the home can go a long way for an older dog. Place rugs around the house to make it easier on them to get up and also to provide a more stable surface-slippery floors can result in accidents.
For dogs who have to walk through many flights of stairs, consider adding ramps. You can find removable ramps that will ease their getting on and off from beds, couches, or cars.
