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| We've got a soft spot for senior dogs |
As a dog owner, do you know when your dog enters into senior hood? Depending on their breeds, the expected life expectancy differ and as such, their age profile differ. Small dogs can live over 15-16 years while large dogs only around 10 – 13 years old. Like humans, our dogs start to experience more and more issues as they age. Some of these may not be readily apparent to us and could oftentimes be mistaken for behavioural issues. These can include:
1. Deteriorating vision and hearing. Like humans, these senses dull with age. Senior dogs with poor vision and/or hearing will not be able to detect approaching people or hear commands as well. As such, we may see them prone to being startled or turn aggressive on sudden touches / actions by others. One way to overcome this is to approach the dog gradually, making sure he is aware of your presence and intentions before physical contact. Sometimes these senior dogs are mistaken for being stubborn.
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| Chloe |
2. Loss of cognitive ability. This is somewhat similar to dementia in humans. You may see your dog ‘getting lost’ around the house or familiar places, or getting stuck in a corner, not knowing how to reverse and get himself out of there. This can be compounded by the deterioration in vision and hearing which makes it harder for the dog to recognise our commands to guide them out. While there may not be any proven ways to stave off this condition, regular mental stimulation exercises may help to some extent. You can refer to this post on some of the games that you can carry out with your dog here.
3. Reduced ability to regulate body temperature, as a result feeling cold more easily. Do pay more attention to see if your dog needs an extra tee or blanket or towel, especially on cooler days or post a full grooming. Also common in senior dogs is anemia, and this would make them cold & shiver too.
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| Zeus |
4. Arthritis and joint pain. Again just like humans, the joints get stiffer with age. Keep a look out to see if there are changes in your dog’s gait. Regular moderate exercise, with supplements and massages may help to relieve these pains. Senior dogs should avoid running and jumping.
5. Obesity which comes about with reduced metabolism and activity levels. While we want to cut down the level of activities for our senior dogs, we need to still ensure they get the requisite amount of exercise to keep them healthy and mobile. At the same time, their diets will also need to changed to cater to their new activity level.
As it can be seen from the 5 pointers, senior dogs are not unlike our human senior citizens. Whether they can lead a happy and comfortable life as they age will very much depend on what we do as dog owners. So be aware of their needs and together, let us all enjoy their golden years together.
