Aging Dog Care
What You Can Do For Your Aging Dog!

Aging dog care is not only a very compassionate part of dog ownership, it is a necessary commitment that goes hand in hand with responsible dog ownership.

It seems like only yesterday he was a puppy, today he's your aging dog, but still just as special and beloved. Time flies.

When dogs start to enter their senior years, they need your loving care more than ever. It's time to repay your aging dog for the loyalty and pleasure he has given to you over the years. In other words, time to think about aging dog care and what you can do for your older dog.

With some dog breeds, you'll need to be particularly observant for signs of age related conditions. I'm speaking of those dogs with a high pain tolerance, that are able to carry on as normal showing no signs of any discomfort they may be enduring. Retrievers and terriers are typically in this category.

Aging Dog Care - Checkups:

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so the saying goes, and there's a lot of truth in that statement. The best way to spot changes and common dog health problems in your dog no matter what his age is to learn how to give a weekly checkup. It's a good habit to get into right from puppyhood and definitely a habit to include in your weekly aging dog care schedule. When you do this you'll be able to notice subtle differences in his condition that may indicate a problem. Early discovery of a potential dog illness can make all the difference in curing or managing it. Not only that, is to but you may just be saving your aging dog from a lot of needless suffering - something really worthwhile for your best friend!

So, how do we go about doing this checkup thing?

One way is to schedule a visit to the vet and have him demonstrate how to check your dog's vital signs so you'll be able to tell what is normal vs. abnormal. Things like, pulse, temperature, respiration, circulation and fluids. Once you start doing this at home, keep a journal to record the information so you'll have an accurate record from week to week.

In addition to recording vital signs, you can go one step beyond this with a very convenient in-home monitoring test called ThePetCheckup - an innovative and simple to use, early detection test kit that enables you to detect possible illnesses in your dogs and cats — even before symptoms appear. Within minutes, the test screens and gives you results for the most common dog health problems affecting both dogs and cats.

In fact, ThePetCheckup is an excellent addition to your aging dog care routine, keeping you alert to your dog's health throughout his life - you don't have to wait until he's an aging dog! It's a simple deed to do - just a few minutes of your time devoted to helping your dog stay healthier and live a more vibrant longer life. He's worth it, don't you think?

Early Detection Can Save A Pet's Life

As I mentioned earlier, on a week-to-week basis, your dog's vital signs are fairly simple to track and good information to record in a notebook as part of your aging dog care - here's how to go about it:

Aging Dog Care - Vital Signs:

Temperature:
Let's start with the dog's temperature, which normally falls between 99.5° and 102.5°. A fever would be indicated at a temperature above 103°. If you're not the nervous type or too squeamish, you can take the temperature with a lubricated rectal thermometer. But, an even better non-invasive option, that works immediately, is the ThermoPet Dog Thermometer. that is designed to take a reading when held over your dog's stomach. Great for nervous dogs and their owners!

Pulse:
OK, now that's done, let's move on to pulse to find out what's going on with the heart. This is where it will come in handy to ask the vet what is normal for your breed of dog, because it can vary between size and breed.

So once you have that information, what you are looking for is a strong and regular beat. You can check the beats in either of two locations. One is inside the upper thigh on your dog's rear legs, which is where you'll find the femoral artery. The other is on the chest behind the left leg. Count the beats per minute - actually you can do it for 15 seconds and then do the math, times 4. Normal beats can fall in the 60-150 range, but that's why is important to know what is normal for your dog as I mentioned earlier.

Respiration:
Respiration, or in other words breathing, is another good health indicator to review. Do this when your dog is in a relaxed state, not after he's been playing fetch or is panting due to summer heat etc.

Once you know what is normal for your aging dog, it will be easy for you to spot any distress or changes in his breathing. The average range is around 10-30 breaths a minute, but again it varies according to breed and size. You can visually do a 15-second count of the breaths, or use a stopwatch, then multiply by 4 to get the one minute result.

Energy Tonic

Circulation:
Another health indicator is circulation which can be affected in aging dogs. Just as with humans, the blood must be carried efficiently around your dog's body to deliver nutrients to the tissues. You can check out your dog's the circulation by lifting his lip and pressing a finger on the gum line above the canine tooth. When you take your finger away, count how many seconds it takes for the gum to return to its normal pink color. More than a couple of seconds is an indicator of a problem and you should talk to your vet as soon as possible.

While checking his gums, use the opportunity to look over the condition of his teeth for any signs of dental problems or excessive tartar build-up.

Aging Dog Care - Water Intake And Hydration Levels:

Water, as we know, is necessary for all life forms to exist. Observing your dog's water intake as well as checking his hydration levels can give you life saving information. I know this first hand because this is how I came to know of my dog's diabetes. Don't hesitate to talk to your vet if you notice a sudden and significant increase in your dog's water consumption.

Here's a simple way to check for dehydration in your dog. It's often referred to as the tenting test. Just pull up some skin around your dog's neck and then release. It should fall back to normal right away if enough fluids are present. However, if your dog is dehydrated, the skin loses its elasticity and remains in a tented position, taking longer to return to normal. Any sign of dehydration, which can be life threatening, is a solid reason to call your vet.

Joint Support

Aging Dog Care - General Overview:

After you have completed these measured health stats, follow up with a hands on and visual once-over. If your dog has become used to your tender touch, he'll just think he getting some more pampering. So run your hands over his joints, back, and belly for signs of discomfort or swelling, and check his eyes, ears and bottom for any signs of infection or parasites. Don't overlook the paws, as this is a prime location to inspect for embedded foreign matter or hidden abrasions. And finally check your dog's breath for any difference other than the usual doggy smell. If there are no obvious dental issues, bad breath can be an indicator of other serious conditions such as diabetes or kidney problems.

Once you become very familiar with the routine indicators of your aging dog's life, including what goes in and what comes out, you will quickly notice any changes that occur.

Inevitably in aging dogs, there will be some physical signs of aging. Stiff joints or arthritis are common dog health problems, but there is a lot that can be done to ease the pain of these conditions. Hearing and vision loss are also often affected and sometimes there are changes in behavior. Owners will spot these signs and be able to respond to them quickly if they implement a weekly aging dog care routine.

The good news is, dogs are living far longer these days thanks to incredible advances in veterinary medicine.

When I think about helping an aging dog, I think about this quote:
He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion..." author unknown

With compassion, there is so much we can do to make our dog's senior years comfortable and enjoyable. And, this is the greatest gift a master can give his loyal friend.


Footnote: Although this article was written with the senior dog in mind, the suggested check-ups are recommended for dogs of all ages.

Related Pages:

Dealing With FLEAS	Treating Dog Hot Spots
Bladder Infections	Diarrhea In Dogs
Heatstroke In Dogs	Dog Pregnancy
Paw Care	Dog Skin Allergies
Cold Weather Protection	Skunk Odor Removal

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NOTE: Information on this website is not intended to take the place of advice from a veterinarian.