From the age of 8, a dog begins to be considered a senior, and begins a stage of their life in which many changes occur in their body and in their lifestyle.
The most frequent problems that we are going to find are:
- Overweight and obesity
- Liver, kidney and heart pathologies
- Dental problems
- Cancer
- Bone and articulation problems
- Disorientation, apathy, anxiety, behavior changes… (may be signs of brain aging and cognitive dysfunction)
- Sight and hearing problems
To make their life easier in these golden years, we suggest a series of recommendations:
- Check their body condition frequently
- Improve their environment:
- Avoid cold and hard surfaces (provide mattresses or thick blankets for resting)
- Avoid stairs or big jumps for their size (use ramps or help them get into the car or couch)
- If they are outside on hot days, create spaces with shade
- Shorten your walks so as not to fatigue them, but increase their frequency, since their capacity to retain urine is usually reduced.
- Avoid walking in the hottest hours. On the contrary, if it is very cold or it rains, look for something that protects them (such as a coat) or dry them when you get back home.
- Mental gymnastics is also necessary (play with them or acquire interactive toys to stimulate them)
- Visit the vet more often so they can be vigilant for any changes
- And, of course, provide a good, varied and quality diet that provides everything they need at that time