As The Years Go by: An Aging Dog

As your dog gets older, his digestion gets impaired. You should give him a diet that is light and nutritious. You should reduce the quantity of food per meal and increase the frequency of feeding may be increased .The food intake for the day should be the same. Make available clean and fresh water. Do not change his diet. If a new type of food has to be fed, it should be mixed with the current type and the quantity may be increased gradually.

Light Exercise

Age will reduce his speed while walking. Reduce the distance covered during the walk and stop for rest during the walks. Staircases and tiring games should be avoided since the heart will also not be as strong as it used to be. Activities should only be reduced and not stopped completely.

Bedtime

The older he gets, the more sleep he will need. Make sure the beds are soft and warm. This will make him more active when he is awake.

Constipation & Diarrhea

This is due to the fact that he is eating less fibrous foods and exercising less. Ask your vet for the cause.

Impaired Hearing

All the organs and senses of the body are affected by old age. The sense of hearing which otherwise is really sharp in dogs is also affected by old age. Communicate with your hand.

Impaired Eyesight

His eyes may get weak. During this period the dog smells his way about as well as he can.

Don’t change the position of household items and other important landmarks (place of feeding bowl, sleeping).

His resistance levels will also be low. Skeletal degenerative diseases are common in aging dogs. Regular brushing of the dog’s coat will activate the skin glands and act as a massage for the loose muscles.