Mary Allen
He no longer hears you, doesn’t want to walk properly anymore, least of all up the stairs: accompanying an old dog is a challenge. It is important to let him age gracefully and to preserve his quality of life.
If the dog has won the long-life lottery, the owner is happy. But the old four-legged friend is often a heavy companion. “Living with an old dog requires more attention,” says veterinarian Sabine Hasler-Gallusser. “This transition is not always easy, especially for working people.” In her small animal practice “rundumXund” in Altendorf, Hasler has specialized in older semesters. “It’s best if you see life with an old or aged dog with a wink and instead of enjoying the vitality, you now enjoy the calmness of the dog.”
When the first signs of aging appear, one speaks of seniors. strides the Aging increasingly progresses, the senior dog becomes old. When this development begins is both genetic and individual. Hasler-Gallusser, therefore, does not think much of a division according to years of life. “Biological age cannot be determined in years. It’s a natural process.” Environmental influences, nutritional status, castration status, and the lifestyle of the dog also play a central role. Overweight dogs, working dogs, and unneutered animals usually show signs of aging earlier than slim four-legged friends, family dogs, or neutered animals. Also, large breeds tend to age faster than small ones. Hasler-Gallusser warns against such sweeping statements. Health and posture are decisive for all breeds: “The more health problems a dog has, the earlier it ages.”
A Dog is as Old as He Says He is.
Owners can determine for themselves where their own dog moves on the age scale by observing it. Typical signs point to the progressive aging process: physical performance decreases, the dog tires more quickly. “Accordingly, the resting phases are longer, the dog sleeps more and more deeply,” explains the veterinarian. The physical start-up times are longer in the morning. “The older body needs more regeneration.” The immune system also works more slowly, the animals would be more susceptible to diseases. Furthermore, the ability to react, the sense of sight, and hearing decrease, which is why there are problems with the signals on walks.
Changes should be clarified at an early stage via the annual check-up. “An old dog, for example, no longer likes to walk, and it shows that by not walking anymore,” says Hasler-Gallusser. She thinks it’s wrong that he just can’t take it anymore. Movement restrictions in particular could be quickly reduced with the right treatment. In addition, dog owners would have to find alternatives and solutions. In plain language, this means: life must be adapted to the individual requirements of the aging dog. For example, surfaces should be designed to be non-slip. “Otherwise, walking downstairs, in particular, can lead to accidents or he can hardly stand up on the smooth, slippery tiled floor,” says the geriatrics expert.
Walks are getting shorter now. “They should take place more often and at different locations so that the joy of discovery is not neglected.” Walks are fun for the old dog if he is allowed to sniff a lot. “Speed is no longer required. Rather, it is now about mental work, concentration and reward.” Because: In contrast to the body, the head is usually still very fit.
According to veterinarian Anna Geissbühler-Philipp from the small animal practice in Moos in InsBE, one of the most important skills that owners should learn is recognizing signs of pain. The veterinarian specializing in small animal medicine and behavioral medicine treats numerous older dogs in her pain clinic. «Owners often realize too late that their dogs are in pain. Dogs rarely whine and howl in pain. Rather, as pack animals, they hide their suffering.”
Pain symptoms are individual
When it comes to pain, the nervous system of dogs is similar to that of humans. However, it is not easy for the untrained eye to tell if a dog is in pain. Geissbühler knows the clues: “Acute pain is often reflected in a change in body position, such as a tummy tuck, or signs of stress such as panting, licking your lips, or flattening your ears.” The signs of chronic pain, on the other hand, were more subtle. Minor problems are often only visible in a change in behavior. “For a long time, dogs simply avoid the relevant situations or adapt their movement to the pain.” Lay people only notice something as soon as the dog can no longer bear the pain.
Geissbühler-Philipp also considers a close observation of the aging dog to be crucial in order to spare him suffering. “If the dog no longer runs to the door to greet you, if it no longer jumps into the car and onto the sofa or avoids stairs, these can be signs of pain.” Trembling in one part of the body, hanging your head, nocturnal panting and restlessness are also indications. A typical example: “Some senior dogs turn around their own axis several times in pain trying to lie down as pain-free as possible.” Which pain symptoms a dog shows are individual, there are also mimosas and tough animals among dogs.
Therapy and other ailments
In order to enable affected dogs to lead a primarily pain-free life, to give them the quality of life and zest for life, pain and geriatric experts adapt the therapy individually. The first thing to do is to relieve pain. In addition to medication and anti-inflammatory drugs, herbal ingredients, chiropractic, TCM acupuncture, osteopathy, and physiotherapy are used. “In this way, the drug dose can be reduced and side effects reduced,” says Geissbühler-Philipp. CBD products are also being used more and more. “The effect can improve both behavior and pain in geriatric patients.” Sabine Hasler-Gallusser also considers Feldenkrais and Tellington TTouch to be effective in support.
The earlier such multimodal pain therapy begins, the better. As soon as the very last phase of life is heralded, the dog becomes increasingly weaker and more unstable. He is now an old man and is losing fat and muscle mass, which can be noticeable when lying down and getting up.
Incontinence is common. As the dog ages, it can increasingly suffer from cardiovascular problems, dementia, and cataracts. Classic internal diseases such as Cushing’s disease, diabetes, or hypothyroidism can also occur. The incidence of tumors also increases with age. To prevent this, Hasler-Gallusser recommends paying attention to your diet. “The healthier the nerves and cells are nourished, the fewer age-related problems occur.”