Improve the Comfort of Your Senior Dogs

Above photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/KTWWraps 

As your dog grows old there are a lot of ways you can help them with movement, good health, good cognitive function and keep them in comfort. 

When your dog hits the senior years will depend upon the breed. For example, a tiny Chihuahua usually hits senior years later whereas a Great Dane will become a senior earlier in their life. On the average, most dogs are considered senior dogs between the ages of 7 and 9. Some senior dogs even get grey hairs like humans, and a lot of senior dogs still enjoy the same kind of activities they enjoyed in their youth.

It is sad sometimes to see your once jumping around, tail wagging puppy not be able to jump in the car anymore with joy to go on a road trip with you. The senior dogs might develop kidney problems and start urinating in your house. Their vision and hearing goes just like some of us humans and just like us as well some of them develop daily pain.

Dogs in their senior years may need some adjustments to help them stay relaxed, comfortable and without pain.

Good nutrition is one way to help your senior dog in the later years of life. There are special diets for senior dogs, however, many senior dogs still do very well on the same diet you fed them in years before now. Every dog is different. Your primary concern should be in preventing obesity. Obesity is a number one killer of dogs at any age. Excess weight can lead to arthritis related mobility issues, so it is best to keep them lean on the thinner side. Sometimes even senior dogs will over eat if you allow them. Feed them only what they need to stay lean. 

Senior dogs may also have less appetite or less interest in food. Their calorie needs change or decrease as they are not jumping around, running and playing as vigorously as they one time did. It is a normal process. They might eat a little bit one day and their full serving the next day.

If you have a senior dog that loses interest in their food introduce some extra tasty foods, appetite increasing medication or a prescription diet. There may be underlying causes to your dog's loss of appetite such as cancers or organ failure. Acknowledge that there may come a time when your dog just does not want to eat or drink as they know their life is coming to an end. If you see this happening talk with your vet about how to proceed.

If your dog develops age related conditions such as arthritis, managing their daily pain improves their quality of daily life. They might not complain very loudly with arthritis pain like they would yelp from a broken leg, yet, as their owner you can usually spot the differences in how they walk around. Do they walk slower than usual? Do they seem to walk kind of stiff legged? These may be symptoms they are in arthritic pain that you need to discuss with your vet for possible pain relief treatments.

While their same daily walks might not be feasible in older age, it is still extremely important to try and engage the senior dog in some kind of regular appropriate exercise, something more gentle than a hike or a high-impact dog sport. Walking might still be feasible and the best for the senior dog, perhaps shorter walks, and avoiding the long runs or walks.

Many dog experts recommend doing daily strengthening exercises increasing the difficulty level gradually. Give tasty treats at end of sessions. Teach them to walk over poles on the ground or put their front two paws up on a slightly elevated surface. Just as gentle movements help humans with arthritic pain so do gentle movements help the senior dogs you love and live with.

These are just a few simply suggestions you can follow to try and improve the comfort of your senior dog. Of course provide them with cozy places in your home to rest as well.