VET COLUMN: Helping to keep your older dog in happy and healthy condition

Did you know small dogs are considered to be “geriatric” by the time they are around nine years old and larger breeds can be heading into their senior years as young as five years of age?

When your dog becomes a senior it’s important to help keep them healthy and happy in their golden years.
This can be done with regular check-ups with your vet, keeping them exercised at the right level, and providing them with the correct nutritional diet and supplements.
There are some signs that you can look out for that may suggest your dog is ageing, these can all be discussed with your vet or veterinary nurse and further advice can be given on a one to one basis.
Is your dog not quite as keen to be going on walks or maybe gets tired a lot quicker than they used too? Maybe he/she is limping? Sleeping more than usual and struggling to get up again from resting? It could be that they’re suffering from arthritis which is one of the most common complaints in the elderly canine we see in practice.
Shorter walks more often are better than long walks, your dog still needs the exercise but will tire easily.
There are so many joint support supplements on the market, your vet will recommend the best product to try. Sometimes if the arthritis is further progressed then prescription NSAIDs can be prescribed after a consultation with a veterinary surgeon (this will depend on your dog’s medical history and current health).
If they’re arthritic then they may struggle to groom themselves so you may need to help them out especially around the back end!
Muscles weaken in time which may mean your dog will need the toilet more often. Make sure they are let out more often.
It is always worth mentioning this to your vet as sometimes this can be down to a urinary infection which may require treatment, tablets/syrup can also be prescribed for urinary incontinence.
Like us, their sight and hearing can deteriorate so try not to move things around in the home, if your dog is struggling to hear then you can retrain them with hand signals, they’re never too old to learn.
Dental disease is a major problem in senior dogs, brushing your dog’s teeth may help but sometimes if the teeth are too bad then a scale and polish is required. This isn’t without risk in the older dog so this will need discussing with your vet, who may recommend blood tests before going ahead with an anaesthetic to check the kidney and liver function of your companion. Dental chews are very popular these days but remember these only help if your dog is actually chewing them, if your dog is just eating it without chewing then they won’t get the benefit ­ this is very common in a greedy Labrador!
If you notice that your dog is drinking more then that’s something that needs to be discussed with your vet too.There are many possibilities for this, including kidney disease and diabetes, but if caught early then treatment can be highly successful.
Dogs should be having a checkup every year at the time of their vaccination but if you feel your dog may benefit from an earlier check over then please call your vet to book an appointment or talk to your veterinary nurse for further advice.