As your dog ages, he will be needing a different dog health care than the younger dogs. Just like us humans, when a dog ages, he becomes more susceptible to certain health conditions such as arthritis that can slow him down. With proper care, you can help your senior dog live with ease.
When can you consider a dog to be senior? This will vary on what type your dog is. Normally, larger breeds tend to age faster than smaller breeds. Several factors such as your dog’s environment, nutrition and genetics also contribute to how fast a dog ages.
When your dog is in his senior years, there can be a lot of things he’ll be having difficulty to do. For instance, going up and down the stairs or having trouble eating. Scroll on and learn some proper dog health care tips for senior dogs.
1. Schedule Regular Vet Visits
It is highly recommended to have your senior dog examined by a veterinarian at least once or twice a year. This is to ensure your dog is free from any serious illnesses that could cause major discomfort such as arthritis, heart disease or dental disease. It is always better to prevent your dog from having diseases than to treat it.
2. Choose An Appropriate Diet
As your dog ages, his dietary requirements will most likely change as well. It is essential to feed him dog food that is appropriate to his age. Some senior dogs become less active, thus, he might need a diet to prevent from gaining weight (which can lead to obesity).
Others may lose weight as they age, probably due to difficulty in eating, he may be needing food with higher calorie content. It is best to seek advice from your vet to help you choose the appropriate diet your dog needs.
3. Give Ample Amount of Exercise
One of the most effective ways in keeping your senior dog healthy and youthful is by giving him his needed exercise, mentally and physically. Exercising your dog both mentally and physically can be a good way to prevent diseases and the best thing about it is it’s always free! Plus, you get to spend quality time with your precious pooch.
4. Practice Dental Hygiene
While it is essential to practice dental hygiene all throughout your dog’s life, senior dogs need extra special care to keep his mouth healthy and free from bacteria. If you cannot brush your dog’s teeth, you can seek help from a professional or alternatively, there are dental treats and toys available in the market you can use to help keep your dog’s teeth clean.
5. Give Special Accommodations
Since a senior dog might be having difficulty doing things he normally does when he is younger, you should provide special accommodations for him. For example, providing a soft bedding for dogs suffering from arthritis. This will make him sleep better and comfortably.
Some dogs may be having a hard time going up and down the stairs or even the car. You can provide a dog ramp to make it easier for him to do these things.
For some tips on how to keep a senior dog healthy and happy, watch this video by BeverlysPetCampus:
Dogs in their senior years are more prone to diseases than younger ones, thus, they need proper care and attention more. Let us keep our senior dogs healthy and happy by ensuring they get these proper dog health care.
Article reposted from:
DogBreedsJournal.Com
By Alpha Diego
Recent Comments