How old is ‘old’?

This varies, and is largely dependent on a dog’s breed and size. Generally, small dogs live longer, and typically aren’t considered ‘seniors’ until they are over ten. Medium sized dogs like Micky, are usually considered seniors at about 9 or 10. Large dogs, a bit younger, and giant dogs (like Great Danes) are considered seniors as early as 6.

What are the changes and the signs?

A lot of what our pups go through when they age isn’t much different than what people go through. The most common things to expect are:

1. Less energy

2. Less mobility, often due to arthritis

3. Loss of hearing and eyesight

4. A higher rate of kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, and cancer

5. Incontinence

6. Confusion and dementia

7. Increased sensitivity to extreme heat and cold

8. New lumps and bumps

9. Changes in sleeping-waking cycle and restlessness and pacing at night

What should you do?

There are lots of ways you can help your senior pups age… help them to stay happy, healthy, comfortable, and to enjoy their ‘golden years’.

Take your pup to the vet!: The first — and probably most significant — thing you can do is visit the vet. Most vets recommend annual check-ups for dogs as they are growing up, and check-ups twice a year for seniors. There’s good reason for this. Dogs, like people, are susceptible to age-related afflictions. Your vet may be able to detect certain problems before your dog shows any symptoms. And early detection can, of course, make a huge difference. Vet visits are not, however, cheap. There are some low-cost spay/neuter clincs run by nonprofits in the area that also offer wellness visits at lower rates (for example, SNAP and the Humane Society). You might want to check those out.

In addition to detecting problems and treating your dog when sick, there are lots of things your vet can advise you on. For example:

1. Your vet can recommend treatments for joint related problems like arthritis.

2. Your vet can advise you on maintaining your dog’s oral health.

3. Your vet can advise you on the best diet for your senior dog — for example, a diet aimed at a dog with a liver or kidney problem; or a diet aimed at maintaining your dog’s weight. Even a few extra pounds of weight can tremendously impact your dog’s quality of life. Most senior dogs struggle with joint issues, and even a few extra pounds can have a big impact on that.

4. Your vet can quickly determine if the new lump on your dog’s chest is simply fatty tissue and nothing to worry about, or something more serious. And if it is more serious, your vet can recommend the best course of action.

5. Your vet can assess the extent of hearing and eyesight loss and take steps, in some cases, to reduce that or slow it down. In other cases, your vet can give advice on how to deal with it.

6. Your vet is the best judge of the level of exercise your dog needs, which varies tremendously from dog to dog. Regular exercise is important for senior dogs, but at the same time, over-doing it can cause problems. Your vet can tell you what’s right for your dog.

7. Your vet can advise you on supplements to your dog’s diet that could be beneficial. Micky gets canned pumpkin every day to help with digestion. He also gets joint chews and a little Omega-3 fish oil every day, which have made a noticeable difference in mobility.

Our vet, Dr. Kenneth Kirlin, has been wonderful and a huge source of help and comfort as we’re navigating Micky’s senior years.