Taking Care of a Dog That Has Reached His or Her Senior Years

Dogs will get old, they will eventually die, but what we do to help them live comfortable and productive lives is essential. The things they like to do when they were young, is still what they enjoy doing, but in more controlled ways. Walking is as important for them now as when they were young. This is because it will help to keep their joints free, so activity is good. Arthritis is a problem in aging dogs, so, this is why some form of exercise is good. To alleviate the pain, there are medications that they can take; this you will get from your veterinarian.

The diet of an aging dog is essential; many times we feel because they are old then we must not feed them the same as before. This is not so, we just need to adjust the portions, as they may not be able to eat the same amount as when they were young. The kinds of the meal are also important; this needs to contain a lot more fiber as they may become constipated when they become seniors. Continue feeding some amount of dry foods as this will help to eliminate the build up of plaque. Losing teeth is a necessary evil when your dog gets old, so examine their mouths to see if they are indeed losing teeth; and you will have to know what you feed them when this starts. Too much soft and chewy foods will possible loosen the already shaky teeth, and they may swallow one or two, and this is not good. It can cause complications in the intestines, and they may need surgery.

Physical changes may occur also; they may lose their sight, hearing, sense of smell and may develop heart disease, diabetes, or even kidney problems. Any ailment that an adult develops when we get towards our senior years; the possibility of this occurring in our dogs is likely. Pet owners need to make sure we pay special attention to these gradual symptoms creeping up overtime. You probably start seeing sign when they are about 9 or 10 years old. This may not seem to be so old, but in dog years it is senior. Their lives and body deteriorate a lot quicker than adults, and because they are our responsibility, we must be careful to take care of them.

Taking care of a senior dog takes time, so if you are not able to give the amount of attention to your pet; then there are senior pet cares available in some States. Investigate these facilities, as you are able to make informed decisions, you do not want to have your aging friend going to a facility that is not able to take care of them the way you want.