Signs of Aging in Pets and How to Provide Optimal Care

Intro：Look at the picture. It’s so cute, isn’t it? It is Chihuahua. A six years old Chihuahua is equivalent to 42 years old in human age. That’s shocking, right? Such dog is normally seen as senior dogs. Just like humans, how to distinguish and take care of them is complicated. Don’t worry. Here are some signs for you to figure out the situation.

 

Check if your pet looks like below:

- physical signs

1. Loss of cognitive ability

The first day, you are playing with your dog. You pulled out the hand in front of him as usual. At this moment, your dog was supposed to reach out his hand and put it gently above your hand. However, he hesitated, lowered his head, and stared at your hand motionlessly. You tried once again, but he stayed still. OK, he may not be in a good mood today.

The second day, he refused to pack up the toys.

On the third day, you found him peeing outside the bathroom. 

...

Such frequent accidents will make you realize that there is something unusual in your dog.

Winnie, Samantha Balaban's dog, shakes hands with her human. Balaban says dogs can benefit from working with a trainer, whether it's to improve their skills, manners or behavior.

Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

2. Cloudy eyes

Eye cloudiness can happen so gradually that you might not notice it right away. While it’s a fairly common occurrence in senior dogs and doesn’t affect vision, it may also be a sign of canine cataracts or other eye diseases, most of which are easily treatable. Your dog may start bumping into things or have trouble locating familiar objects on the floor. This could signal vision loss.

3. Dynamic emotions

Senior dogs often have difficulties in adjusting their emotions in right order,especially when coming across huge stress. One of the  most typical issue is called separation anxiety. This condition is commonly seen in pets who experience intense anxiety when their parents or caregivers leave them, leading to crying, tantrums, and clinginess.

https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet-health-columns/separation-anxiety-in-pets-faq/

3 things your pets want to tell you

1. I am 7 years old. I am not a child anymore.

Dogs age at a different rate than humans, and it is important to understand this as a dog owner. The first two years of a dog's life are equivalent to approximately 24 human years, with each subsequent year being roughly equivalent to 4-5 human years. This means that a 5-year-old dog is equivalent to a 36-year-old human, and a 10-year-old dog is equivalent to a 56- year-old human. Understanding a dog's age is important in terms of their healthcare needs, as they may require different types of care and attention as they reach certain milestones.

 

2. Chocolate is great. But I need dog food more.

Dogs also have foods that are contraindicated and forbidden, and not all foods that people eat, dogs can eat. For example: chocolate, grapes, onions, sweeteners, and macadamia nuts for the dog's health is a deadly danger.

There are also things such as tea, alcohol, milk, mango, and other things that cannot be fed to dogs casually, which can cause some negative health effects.

 

From MetLife(https://www.metlifepetinsurance.com/blog/pet-health/what-can-dogs-eat/)

3. I am not sick. I just like to lick my nose.

Why is a dog's nose always wet? Dogs will constantly lick their noses wet so that the cells can be in more contact with odor molecules, to keep the sense of smell sensitive. Previously, I also saw that some owners would deliberately wipe their dogs' noses, thinking that the wetness was snot ...... Don't misunderstand!

Your pet needs:

- Inside

1. Feeding

How many times a day a family dog eats depends on its age as well as its state of health. Adult dogs eat one to two meals a day. Dogs with chronic illnesses or older dogs should eat smaller meals, which will ease the burden on the digestive system and facilitate the absorption of nutrients. This feeding method is also recommended for dogs that are prone to stomach twists as a preventative measure.

Puppies have smaller stomachs and therefore cannot eat too much. Puppies also need to eat smaller meals. dogs under 12 weeks eat 4 to 5 meals a day, dogs under 6 months eat 3 to 4 meals a day, dogs under 9 months eat 2 to 3 meals a day dogs over 9 months eat 1 to 2 meals a day.

2. Exercise

Walking is one of the most common forms of exercise for dog owners, and walks of any distance are heart-healthy, while those of longer distances result in the most healthful changes in the composition of blood fats. This type of exercise is perfect for busy owners and small dogs that require less exercise or have poor cardiorespiratory fitness.

 

https://www.cesarsway.com/6-tips-for-mastering-the-dog-walk/

Playing with these dog toys with our dogs gives us and our dogs some exercise and enhances the bond between us and our dogs, as well as providing some training benefits. Throwing and fetching toys is more varied and interesting than running or walking.

 

Max from Hungary, who was one of the gifted dogs taking part in the study. All were border collies. 

Photograph: Joe Cooper/CooperPhoto

Swimming is also a good sport for dogs, which makes the dogs with bone problems slowly recover, but many dogs are a little nervous the first time in the water, so the owner should be on the side of the car.

-Outside

1. Cozy environment

Keeping the dog's environment dry and clean is the most important.

Dogs are prone to skin diseases because they have hair on their bodies, and many skin diseases are caused by the environment, but as long as we do a good job of cleaning the environment at the right time, we can avoid this to a large extent.

Small dogs do not require much space, but they should be careful not to prevent some things that can easily harm the dog or food in easily accessible places.

For large dogs the demand for activity space is also relatively large, so they should be kept in a relatively wide environment, otherwise, they will easily feel suffocated and bored.

Dog living environment is best to maintain a certain temperature, if it is the case of low temperature in winter, you can put the dog's sleeping nest to warm up some or give the dog to wear clothes.

In summer, the air conditioning temperature should not be adjusted too low, it is easy to cause the dog to catch a cold, so keeping it at 26 degrees is most suitable.

In addition, we should pay attention to not letting the dog lie on the floor, the belly is very easy to catch a cold and leads to gastrointestinal diseases.

2. Regular medical inspections

For young, healthy dogs, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends scheduling a physical exam at least once a year. Your veterinarian will check your dog for signs of disease or injury and update any necessary vaccinations or boosters.

For older dogs or those with chronic illnesses, more frequent checkups may be necessary. Your veterinarian may recommend semi-annual or even quarterly checkups to monitor your health and adjust your treatment plan.

 

https://qstreetanimalhospital.com/

Routine veterinary checkups usually include a physical examination, during which the veterinarian will check vital signs, such as heart rate, respiration, and body temperature. The dog's eyes, ears, nose, and throat will also be examined, as well as the condition of the skin and coat for any rashes or excessive dryness issues. The veterinarian may also examine the dog's teeth and gums and check the joints and musculoskeletal system for signs of pain or discomfort.

If you can play with me, or just allow me to lie down at your feet, That’s best.

That’s great. You have come through the whole passage. You must care so much about your little pet. Please don’t worry. Even if you can not afford expensive medical inspections or dog food, just pet his head and stay close to him.