Senior Dogs and Their Care: Depending on the dog breed, dogs between 5 to 10 years of age can generally be counted in the senior dog category. There are a number of features that signify aging in your dog.
Senior Dogs
Senior dogs may not be able to play or walk for long, develop diseases such as arthritis or other deteriorating problems, and have difficulty getting up, going in and out of the car, and climbing up and down stairs.
7 Healthy Practices to Care for Senior Dogs
1) Keep it Moving
It is important for you to understand and keep up with the fact that your dog has aged.
Regular exercises that are best suited to the breed and age of your senior dog are good to keep it healthy. If your aging dogs mobility is limited, due to a floating knee, it’s advisable to consult with your vet.
2) Arrange Vet Visits Frequently
Timely detection of diseases for senior dogs is really important. As the dog ages, the immune system gets weak and it may become more susceptible to developing infections etc.
3) Groom Often
As dogs age, their skin gets thinner and more vulnerable to infections; which is why it is important that you go for grooming frequently.
4) Understand TLC is Important
Dogs do not respond to touch or sound when they are seniors, so you need to be tolerant when caring for your senior dog and abide by the TLC (Tender Loving Care) principle to keep it healthy and happy.
5) Provide Appropriate Diet
Senior dogs require suitable diet to stay healthy. Obesity shortens a dog’s life span and so senior dogs must be fed high-quality diet in proper quantities which do not result in obesity.
6) Take Care of the Mouth
This may sound bizarre, but it is important to brush your senior dog’s teeth. A senior dog is likely to not chew its food properly, hence food particles may remain on the teeth for long; ultimately causing teeth problems.
7) Arrange Special Accommodations
Senior dogs with different conditions need special arrangements to sit, walk, climb the stairs, and relax. For example, dogs with arthritis might benefit from soft bedding and carpets. Senior dogs may also enjoy therapeutic wraps for pain relief
Follow these simple 7 steps to take care of your senior dog’s health and happiness, both.