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Older Dog Mobility Issues
Old dogs may have trouble getting around
Different walking aids and carts have liberated the lives of many old dogs
One day your dog will be old and possibly grey like the rest of us or heaven forbid, bald! Somehow bald looks better on people than it does on our dogs. With the exception of the hairless breeds of course. Whatever the situation, as dogs age they may become mobility challenged. The great news is that there are so many different tools available to help them function and get around, giving them the freedom of mobility and a return of their dignity.
In past years an older dog would have been put to sleep if it started to experience difficulty getting around. Today they are fitted with dog carts or dog wheelchairs and there are slings for helping the rear end. There are a number of companies who manufacture these products and custom fit them to your older dog. Some of these wonderful inventions can help avoid costly vet bills and I’ll explain how. Continue reading
Why Your Older Dog Snores
Here are many reasons why they snore and why not to worry
We just settle into our comfortable bed and turn the lights out and are grateful at the peacefulness and quiet of the night after a long hard day. We have our faithful and loving companions sleeping quietly beside us on their beds or in our beds, and then just as we slowly drift off to never land, the earth shatters with a loud grunting, heaving, rumble! Our darling dog is snoring so loudly a train could have rumbled through the house!
Why do they snore? Old dogs are prone to snoring for a number of reasons. The following could play a role: Continue reading
Older Dog Advice
Listen to What They are Saying
Your Older Dog and You
Acknowledge the deep spiritual connection you have with your dog. Look for ways to strengthen and deepen those connections. Our pets and all animals feel the same emotions of pain, fear, love and sadness that we feel. When we are aware we are more in tune and connected to them. These levels of communication with them we can all share.
Older dogs are very wise and connected to their caregivers. They may have health issues unfolding and need extra care, but they are very tuned in to their guardians. If we allow ourselves to slow down and be in a calmer state of mind, we are more receptive to live in the present moment. This lends itself to greater feelings of peacefulness and contentment, creating a more harmonious inner core and place from which to care for our older dog.
Many old dogs communicate to us and we are so busy in our day to day life we forget to listen to them and truly hear what they are trying to say.
Here is some advice once given to me by a kindred spirit: Continue reading
Older Dog
There are many changes affecting our older dog. There are orthopaedic and neurological conditions, quality of life issues, pain management, nutritional concerns and environmental issues. With so many conditions to consider, some people would rather give up their geriatric dog than help them through the aging process into their golden years. I myself, could never give away my beloved dog no matter what they had to deal with or what I had to do to help them live their life out fully to the end of their place here on earth in my care.
When our older dog has to deal with age related illnesses, they need us more than ever. Some of the conditions they may be facing are:
- cancer
- Cushing’s Disease
- kidney failure or incontinence
- digestive disorders
- pancreas and liver compromises from medications
- hormone imbalances
- heart and lung diseases
- immune related disorders
- neurological disorders
- reproductive issues such as pyometra and prostate problems
- cognitive disorders
- arthritis
There are many more changes that occur with old dogs and just like their human counterparts, we all adapt to these changes.
If we keep our dogs mind stimulated it helps with their cognitive abilities. This also keeps them happy and feeling good about themselves. Simple games of hide and seek, obedience commands even though we know that they know them all to well, creates a sense of importance within the dog. Hiding treats under three cups and asking them to find it is an easy and effortless game for them. Asking them to bring their toys by name, or to speak to you or hold out their paw, all are easy and fun and stimulating that a senior dog can do. Short leash walks and hydrotherapy for their sore joints are all possibilities. you can read so much more about all this in my e-book, “The Ultimate Rehabilitation & Physiotherapy Guide for Dogs.” 
Look at the possibilities with your companion dog and strive to maintain a healthy balance of mental and physical stimulation for them. We only have them around for a short time and every day lived to the fullest is a day worth treasuring! Continue reading
Older Dog Alerts
There are many signs that we need to be aware of when it come to our older dog aging and them changing their behavior. We get used to the everyday routines and may not notice the subtle changes that are taking place with our companion friend. We need to be aware of all of the littlest of changes to know when something is brewing underneath.
My dogs were showing signs of cognitive dysfunction and I immediately recognized it and addressed it with my holistic veterinarian. We ran the usual geriatric tests and determined that yes, there was something not totally normal in my girl’s body and so some precautions were taken. It can be frustrating at times because you begin to worry about your beloved dog and how their health is.
Senior dogs will have health issues of some sort and it is up to us as their caretakers to look after them. They have given their entire lives and dedicated themselves totally to looking after us, spilling out their love unconditionally, and laying their lives on the line if need be. Aging dogs are here to teach us lessons in life. Continue reading
Vital Signs
So many of us don’t know what the baseline is for vital signs for our dogs. The last time you want to discover this is when you are having an emergency and your vet asks what is their temperature reading? Believe me, knowing what the temperature is for normal dogs pales in comparison to knowing that you now have to place a thermometer up your friends butt! Hoping your canine buddy will allow you to do this, it is not the way you want to find out in the last minute! In an emergency it is critical!
I ran across a time when I had to do this and I can’t tell you how frustrating it is when you have a dog who will let you do anything with them because they were very well conditioned as a puppy, and trust you to the end of the earth, until now! Not only do you have to keep your state of calm, relaxed and in charge mindset, you are panicking inside at the possibility of your dog running away through the house with a thermometer hanging from their bum!
It is very important to practice taking your dog’s temperature when they are a baby. One of the few things most of us don’t do. Older dogs may need to have their vital signs checked regularly and I cannot stress the importance of this enough! If there is an emergency, the more you know the better it is for all involved. Continue reading
Older Dogs
Let’s face it folks, we all will have our loving companion getting older and unfortunately, they don’t live as long as we do. While they are here, we need to give them the best possible life ever, overflowing with all of the unconditional love they pour onto us.
Older dogs face an array of difficulties just like people do when they age. It can be very sad watching our once active dog romping around chasing butterflies and them now letting the same butterfly land on their nose and not even caring! What can we do to help?
There are many things we can do to help the aging pet get through their days with much more ease, and less pain from any dog arthritis or other debilitating disease. Very simple and yet helpful tips are: Continue reading
Powerful Nutrition
Well the most disgustingly, smelly food you could probably ever feed your beloved dog is green tripe. I tell you, when you pull out a pack of this stuff your dog will think it has died and gone to heaven! They will wonder what they ever did to get this royal treatment!
Green tripe is raw, unprocessed stomach tissue from either cows or sheep. It can be purchased from butchers or companies that deal with making raw dog food, packaging and freezing it in portion-able amounts.
This amazing food has been used for many years in Europe, Australia and Russia and is only fairly new to America. Green tripe has been proven to help with all the following:
- dog’s appearance and disposition
- dog’s digestive disorders improve profoundly
- coats become shiny
- eyes become clear and bright
- muscles get toned
- teeth get whiter
- endurance and stamina increases
- stool size decreases
- dogs live far longer
- dogs have fewer health issues
- dogs have fewer injuries
- hot spots, lick granulomas and rashes have improved after eating tripe
- older dogs become more lively and active again Continue reading