Any advice for a "senior" dog?

[Andi]

My first dog, Chumley, is now almost 10. I'm noticing a big difference is her lately - she moves, slower, she eats slower, she's grumpier.

As I've never had an elderly dog before, any advice on how I can make things easier for her would be appreciated.

[JanisN]

Hi, Andi!

The incredibly stubborn and crabby Sheila goes to the vet tomorrow for her bi-annual senior dog check. I'll ask him if there's more that we could be doing for our seniors while I'm there.

I believe in moving from the annual exam to a twice a year schedule with a full blood panel each time. And keeping them lean if you can. I know that it's devishly hard to diet a senior, but try and keep it to a mild roar.

I let Sheila dictate how much exercise she gets and she wants quite a surprising amount. She loves to run with the puppies and we go for ambles around the back of the property. The WORST problem is she likes to run the fences stirring up the neighbors' dogs. That has not made us too popular, so I restrict that favorite activity.

Sheila has always been a stubborn, bossy bitch and as she gets older, she just seems "more so". She goes into fight drive quite easily, we're going to investigate doggie prozac.

JanisN

[TheDahliMamma]

Well, I just have to brag a little here! I have an 18 year old! Okay, so she isn't a GSD. She is a corgi/sheltie mix.

I agree with Jan...2 times a year for a blood panel. And keep an eye on their teeth. As they get older it is a huge way for them to acquire infections. If they have periodontal disease and their gums bleed it is an easy way for bacteria and infection to enter the bloodstream. When they get that old I am not a huge fan of dental cleanings because they have to anesthetise the dog, instead I prefer to give them all raw bones.

My 18 year old will eat them occationally. I never really nurtured that habit when she was younger, so its a bit hard to introduce her to that now. But, I do have a 12 year old GSD/rott mix whose teeth are incredibly clean from raw bones. Her teeth and gums will be healthy the rest of her life and I am willing to bet she never has to have a cleaning.

I also give lots of Vitamin C which is a natural anti-inflammatory and can help with that old arthritis thing. Much better for their system then some of those drugs. The pain of arthritis can cause the grumpiness. You could try some Rescue Remedy from time to time to help her along. It is a nice homeopathic that seems to just level things out...take the chill off.

One last thing about diet. Many older dogs have kidney disease. Typically vets will limit their protein intake, when actually it is phosphorous that creates problems. I was very intriqued when I found out that hamburger had less phosphorous than chicken. Dairy products, especially cottage cheese are wonderful.

Good luck!
Fran