Tips for Keeping the Senior Dog Healthy
- Have a good relationship with your vet.
- Annual Blood test screening or geriatric workup
- Know the signs of aging. All dogs are individual and will age
differently.
- Feed them proper nutrition. Many foods are made with the senior dog in
mind. Check with your vet to see if a dietary supplement is right for your pet.
- As always, keep their weight in check. Just like in humans, being
overweight can aggravate existing health problems like arthritis.
- Regular exercise is important. Adjust the level of activity with their
changing abilities.
- Senior dogs love company but as they may tend to tire more quickly they
will want more quiet time.
Signals to be alert for in the senior dog
- Loss of weight
- Loss of appetite
- Increase in appetite without weight gain
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Increased thirst without a change in activity level
- Tiring more quickly
- Coughing and or panting excessively
- Difficulty in getting up from the floor, going up stairs or getting on
the bed
- Vision/hearing loss
- Elimination accidents
Some of these are signs of a treatable condition that can be managed
with proper care. Check with your vet.
Books to read with your senior dog
Pinney, Chris C. Caring for your older dog. Pinney 1995.
Wilcox, Bonnie and Chris Walkowicz. Old dogs, old friends: enjoying your
older dog.
Fields-Babineau, Miriam. Training older dogs.
Berman, Kathleen. Caring for your older dog.
Callahan, Jean and Anne Manning. Your older dog: a complete guide to
helping your dog live a longer and healthier life. 2001
Look for these and others at your local bookstore or public library.
You can also find them online at Amazon.com or
DogWise.
Also, see the Senior Dogs Project, a
wonderfully informative website for and about senior dogs.
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