Senior dogs are pure joy. They are gentle, loving, wise, and calm spirits, that can soothe you just by being near.
Not all dogs become senior at the same age. It depends on breed and size. Usually smaller dogs age slower than big dogs. When your dog becomes senior, you’ll need to change their food to have less protein, and keep an extra eye out for senior health and behavior issues.
Roughly, small dogs have a life expectancy of 12 - 15 years and become a senior at around 9 - 10 years of age.
Larger dogs have a life expectancy of 8 - 13 years, and become a senior around 7 - 9 years of age.
There are a few breed exceptions. There are also variables that can have an effect on a dog’s longevity.
Healthcare
Like humans, the better the health care, the longer the life. This includes dental and eye care. Dogs are also subject to human senior medical issues like strokes, diabetes, arthritis, hearing and sighs loss, and cancer.
Bones: Arthritis and joint problems are the biggest concern among these. Look for the following things in your senior dog to see if they are starting to have issues with their joints:
Slower at getting up onto the couch, bed, car.
Panting a lot when not moving much.
Limping or holding a limb up off the ground.
Swelling around joints.
Not bending knees when walking as much.
Climbing stairs slower.
Make sure you get your senior dog all checked out by a vet as frequently as they recommend. If you notice the above changes in your dogs, you can start adding glucosamine and chondroitin as well as Omega 3 fatty acids to your dog’s meals. You can purchase these as powders or liquids, or as treats with the supplement already added.
Mental Health: Many senior dogs will experience heightened anxiety or some senility/dementia. About 25% of all dogs will have mental decline after 10 years of age. Things to look for:
Increase in sleeping
Disinterest in surroundings
Pottying in the house
Forgetting commands
Anxiety: panting, shaking or shivering, pawing at you for attention frequently, moaning.
The reasons for mental decline are many. It involves diet, mental stimulation, exercise, environmental toxins, and dental health.
There are supplements to help prevent and treat mental decline. You may have to go through your vets office or a holistic vet, or order online. But pet stores do stock supplements. Some of them are: SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine), medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), coconut oil, resveratrol, ginko biloba, and phosphatidylserine. Always consult with a vet before administering any supplements.
Eyes:
If your dog has severe cataracts, there are now surgical options to remove them. So if your dogs health is good, but she is suffering from a serious loss of eyesight, do look into this option. I’m sure hearing aids for dogs are on their way!
Caring for an older pet means being aware of the changes, like listed above, to expect and keeping a watchful eye out for them. It also means being conscious of how other dogs are interacting with your senior. Young dogs will often be a bit too rough and irritable to them. So don’t take your senior to the dog park and start chatting or texting away. Keep most of your attention on them.
Also provide extra comfy beds, a good massage once in awhile, and remember that just because your senior doesn’t romp around doing all the outdoor things you love as much anymore, they just want to be with you. Sitting next to you while you read, watch TV, surf the internet.