Caring Senior Dogs

   ENDEARING  ELDERLY  DOGS ...

My heart feels pain to see the suffering of my pet Harry, the eleven years old Lab as he degenerates due to ageing. He sleeps more like a puppy, can’t jump, refuse to climb over the steps and gets tired easily. He is very kind, gentle and also great with kids.
I remember his days that started sharing his life with us … youthful, exuberant, immature, and unsettled. 
Watching your dog ageing can sometimes be heart-breaking to say the least, you may remember the movie Marley & Me!  Obviously where dogs age faster than humans. 
All animals age; dogs live longer in general than hamsters, horses live longer than many dogs and so on, so you need to be aware of the life expectancy of your animal companion. Lifespans vary considerably from breed to breed, however, and what is old in one breed is not necessarily old in another. Certain breeds have a shorter than average life expectancy because they are prone to inherited disorders: the Doberman, for example, has a much lower average life span than a Miniature Poodle, because the breed is prone to kidney failure and heart disease. Mixed breeds, and smaller dogs in general, tend to live longer than many larger pure-bred dogs.
Aging, is not an illness, it's a fact of life. With age, a dog's body simply does not work as well as it once did. Just like us, older dogs get both wiser and calmer. How we age depends upon our genes, environmental influences, and life style.
Old age brings with it a variety of medical conditions & Behavioral changes. 
Older dogs sleep more and take more time to remember who, what, and where, when they wake up. 
Constipation and gas, Painful joints, Bad breath, urinary incontinence, diminished sight and hearing( every dog over nine years old develops sclerosis - an affected dog sees movement, especially at a distance, but has poor vision at close range) are common medical conditions.
Frequent, gentle exercise, fiber nutritional supplements would work in keeping your dog healthy, can assist in keeping your dog mobile and stronger for longer. 
Old age is a challenge, both for pets and their people, and the real work is just beginning caring. 

2 Comments:

http://www.facebook.com/prawin.jawahar said...

My dog.. "Milo" labrador.. He is 4 yrs old now... After reading the blog, I feel the necessity of being with him now.. I miss his naughtiness!

Ellammal Purushothaman said...

Really sir, ur msg is an eye opener to those who have pets at an elderly stage.....thanks for the concern you have for pets....great going... not only UIIC but also for Mu.Dhanasekaran sir, according to me...

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