How can I help my dog age gracefully?

Morieka Johnson knows a few tricks for keeping your older pooch happy and active.

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Wed, Mar 10 2010 at 4:29 AM

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Animal Research, Pets

Q: It’s getting harder for my 9-year-old dog to do the things she used to enjoy. How can I help her age gracefully?

A: While every dog is different, most canines enter their geriatric phase at 7 to 8 years of age. As with humans, advanced age can lead to arthritis, decreased mobility and decreased organ functions. An expert from my pooch’s veterinary clinic offers the following tips to help embrace your dog’s inner puppy as the years go by:

Keep up the exercise: Don’t discount those daily walks. Even if the pace is a little slower these days, it’s a way to bond with your dog and burn calories together. Just be sure to monitor your pet during and after the walk. Dogs don’t sweat, so be mindful of excessive panting or signs of exhaustion. If your dog is like my sister’s dog, Daisy, it will simply stop when enough is enough. If you have a couch potato, introduce exercise on a gradual basis. A few minutes of fetch each day can keep dogs active.

Watch the weight: On a small frame, an extra three to five pounds can strain hips and joints. Since older animals are less active, they require fewer calories. Talk to your veterinarian about reducing portions or switching to a senior formula, which has fewer calories and often includes joint-friendly supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin. A smaller-size kibble or softer food also may be necessary to aid in digestion. I’ve added a bit of warm water or veggie broth to help soften Daisy’s food during her visits.

Get regular checkups: An annual veterinary exam is recommended for all dogs. Older dogs also should undergo blood work so vets can catch any internal issues such as kidney or liver damage. In some breeds, biannual blood work is recommended. Talk to your vet about blood tests during the next visit.

Keep it simple: A dog’s vision and sense of smell can diminish with age. Be sure to keep things simple by removing obstacles from around the house. It also helps to establish a routine for older dogs and avoid sudden schedule changes. Pet steps or doggie ramps also provide easy access so your dog doesn’t have to strain. Make sure that pet bedding is soft to cushion old joints.

Take note of toys: Try toys that are gentler on your dog’s teeth and jaws. Contrasting colors make balls and plush pull toys easier for older eyes to track down. Make sure playtime is still fun by adding new activities. You really can teach an old dog new tricks.

Protect those chompers: Teeth become more brittle with age. Make sure to check your dog’s teeth regularly and watch for signs of tartar or gum disease. Check out tips from an earlier column on keeping those teeth pearly white.

Socialize, socialize, socialize: Older dogs need love, too. They make the best cuddle bugs, especially for elderly relatives. Interacting with younger dogs also may help your pooch stay young at heart. Try one-on-one play dates with other dogs. Also, consider fostering a dog from a local rescue group. It’s a short-term commitment that allows your pet to help another dog learn the ropes and — hopefully — land a forever home.

— Morieka

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Photo: David Tolnem/Flickr; MNN homepage photo: Mwellis/iStockphoto

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Comments: 7

Vet Tech Schools Oct 14 2010 at 10:45 AM

As we grow older our skin wrinkles, both for men and women. Wrinkles on new born babies and dogs are cute, but not on our faces. Women especially will go to great lengths to get rid of their wrinkles.

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Morieka Johnson Mar 12 2010 at 8:31 AM

Thanks for the great comments! I understand the concerns about vets pushing high-end "prescription diets." Ideally, pet owners and vets work together and make choices based on what's best for the pet. Your vet knows the pet's history as well as the nutrient levels in most pet food brands.

A reputable vet can provide that input without pushing high-end goods.

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Julia Williams Sep 08 2010 at 3:22 PM

First of all, great article on how to help aging pets! While I agree that the vet will know your pet's history, most know very little about the nutrients in pet foods, or lack thereof.If they did, they wouldn't push crappy pet foods with by-products and chemical preservatives in the first place. In fact, most vets get very little training in pet nutrition in veterinary school. As a longtime pet owner and professional writer, I've researched pet food extensively and recently wrote an article, How

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Much Do Vets Learn About Nutrition in Veterinary School, which you can read here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5437914/how_much_do_vets_learn_...

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SG Mar 11 2010 at 9:10 PM

Feed your dog a grain-free diet,(avoid garbage food like Pedigree, Iams, Old Roy etc, wich is high in dyes, corn glutens, grain based glutens, etc) supplemented with raw meat and vegtables, as well as raw marrow bones, and you will have a very healthy long-lived pet. Vets are TERRIBLE sources of what to feed your dog. I have encountered so many people who have dogs with food allergies, who have been fooled into buying unnessicary "prescription diets." Begin brushing your dog's teeth(NO human tooth-paste)

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from the first week you get them, onward!

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Chris Mar 10 2010 at 7:51 PM

The only thing that I would say is that, in most cases, your local vet is not the person you want to seek nutrition advice from. You can get help from a professional pet nutritionist but I found that there are fellow pet lovers that have done this already and are happy to share what they learned. I started there and got some good information from my local "non big-box" pet store.