Let's face it. As we embrace dogs and cats as members of our families, they are living longer, happier lives. And just like humans, as our dogs and cats get older, their health gradually deteriorates. As caretakers, we need to be tuned into what is going on with them since they can't speak to us. Or put another way, they can speak, we just have to learn the language by being cognizant of their behavior and keenly watching them for signs that will tell us if we need to care for them differently.
One of the more obvious adjusments we need to make both as humans and for our four legged companions is that as we become less active, we need to modify our diet AND excercise. We don't need as much fuel so we don't (or shouldn't) take in as much. Weight gain can have serious ramifications for both of us. Overweight dogs have a better chance of injuring a knee and it puts more strain on arthritic joints. A lighter older dog will be much happier and more pain free if they're not lugging around the equivalent of a microwave on their body in the form of extra weight. They don't need to work on their winter layer. That's why they have (or should) a nice, warm comfortable bed. That being said, you should keep them (and yourself) as active as possible within limitations. In other words, you probably don't want your 18 year old lab jumping for frisbees. A walk is probably just fine. And remember the dog massage therapy that I discussed awhile ago? This might make for a wonderful treat for your older dog and cat!
Pay attention to their grooming habits. As our cat Blanche hit 17 years of age, she began to have difficulty cleaning some of the areas of her body. This could have been due to arthritis (no, she wasn't fat). Be sure to brush them and groom them a bit more than usual. And by doing so, you'll notice small differences in skin condition or other things that may alert you to other conditions that may be present (fleas, dander, weight loss etc.).
One of the biggest indications that something is going on will be a change in your dog or cats habits. If they stop grooming, eating, socializing with you or playing, if they begin to vomit, lose weight or stop drinking, or drink in excess. All of these are signs that it's time to get a physical and see what is driving the behavior. Water is key. Our first bullie Maggie began to drink more water than usual and that was the que that I had to bring her in. And it turned out that this was the beginning stage of her renal failure.
Always check with your vet to confirm any suspicions you may have or just to monitor how your dog or cat is holding up. Your pet should have a full physical exam at LEAST once per year. If your pet is a senior (over 7, 5 for giant dogs) then they should be seen at LEAST twice per year. These guys age very quickly so more frequent exams are warranted. The quicker you can diagnose a chronic problem, the better it is for your dog, cat and you.
We were able to have Maggie in our life a bit longer because we caught her renal failure early and began giving her fluids both a.m. and p.m. at home. It became our ritual where she would come over and sit in front of us as we pulled out the fluid bag. She was a good girl and got her treats. One important issue (which will will discuss in a another post) is where do you draw the line with trying to keep an animal in your life.
Till next time, Keep Wagging!
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