Contents:

• Caring for Elderly Dogs
• How to groom a dog
• Trimming
• Eye Care
• Dental Care
• Signs of a healthy dog

Caring for Elderly Dogs

Older dogs have special health needs and may require more attention and care than younger pets. Common health problems associated with older pets include: Arthritis, circulatory problems, ear infections, hearing, sight and smell disorders, dental problems, incontinence, weight problems, and kidney disease.

But there is much you can do to prevent or delay these problems and ensure happy twilight years! Here are a few facts and tips to help you and your dog friend:

How old is elderly?
This depends on the breed and on the individual pet. Larger breeds tend to age more rapidly than smaller ones. In general, "elderly" means over eight years old for a medium sized dog and five years old for a larger dog.

What changes as my dog gets older?
As dogs grow older, their organs become less efficient and their ability to fend off infections and diseases is reduced.

Changing dietary needs
Elderly dogs have special dietary needs for a number of reasons. First, older dogs slow down. Like humans, they tend towards being more sedentary as they get older. Therefore, they need fewer calories. Also, as the organs age, digestion and absorption are not as strong. A highly digestible diet is required. Less phosphorus and protein will help pets with kidney problems, for instance. Feed smaller portions more often by dividing the daily food allowance into two to four small meals. Also, if you warm the food slightly, to just below body temperature, the food will be easier to digest.

Varied diet and a high quality dog food will still go a long way to protecting your pet's coat, energy levels, and proper digestion and elimination. Supplemental vitamins should also be considered. Vitamin and mineral needs of elderly dogs often change. As their digestive systems weaken, they may not extract the full value of the foods they eat.

What to watch for
Assess your pet's appearance and behavior on a regular basis. Watch for changes in sleeping, eating, or urination. If your pet refuses food, is unduly reluctant to go out, is in pain or has a problem urinating, you should seek the advice of your veterinarian.

In addition, keep the following in mind:

• Dogs with arthritis should still be exercised, but not excessively, as that can make their arthritis worse. Also, a glucosamine supplement can ease arthritis pain.
  
• Older dogs are more susceptible to diseases of the heart and lungs. Alert your veterinarian at once if you notice coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulties, or weakness.
  
• Dogs are especially prone to ear infections later in life. Check for discharge from the ear, persistent head shaking, or pawing of the ear.
  
• Make allowances for declining hearing, sight and smell. For example, your dog may not obey you simply because it does not hear a command. Eye problems such as infections, cataracts, decreased night vision, or even blindness can also occur. Watch for signs such as discharge from the eyes, or signs of impaired sight, such as bumping into furniture.
  
• Examine your dog's teeth and gums regularly. If they look inflamed or damaged, consult your veterinarian. Gum disease or infection leads not only to tooth loss, but may also cause more serious problems if the resulting bacteria enter the bloodstream.
  
• Urinary incontinence is no fun for anyone, especially the pet that has been house-trained for years. Older dogs may suddenly urinate in inappropriate places. This may be due to their aging nervous system, but could also point to disorders of the urinary tract, prostate, or other body systems. If a pet suddenly becomes incontinent, or urinates more frequently, consult your veterinarian.
  
• Finally, don't forget that regular vaccination is just as important in older dogs as in younger ones.

How to groom a dog

Regularly grooming your dog can keep him free of parasites and improve his general appearance. During grooming you also have the opportunity to check the dog's skin, eyes, ears, coat and teeth. It's advisable to groom your dog once a week. Grooming tools include a comb, brush, nail clippers and blunt-ended scissors. It is important to have the proper brush. Short bristled brushes are best for short and medium haired dogs and long bristles are more suitable for long haired dogs.

Preparation

• Choose a specific place to do the brushing each time. A table or chair will suffice.
  
• Lift your dog up onto the table or chair and talk to him, reassuring him that all is well.
  
• Let your dog sniff the tools you will use. Doing so will calm him.
  
• Offer your dog a toy to occupy him, and to teach him to associate grooming with fun.
  
• Brushing
  
• Begin by brushing against the grain (so to speak). This helps to loosen dead hair and to stimulate the skin.
  
• Use a flannel cloth to bring out the shine in your dog's coat after brushing.
  
• If your dog has long hair or a double coat, some matting of the hair may occur. Matted hair can occur from burs, food, tar and other sticky substances. This is not only unsightly but can also irritate the dog. Try combing gently to remove the clumps. If a matt is too tight or large, you may need to cut it off. The fur will grow back in time. Always use blunt end scissors to cut. Matting of the hair can be avoided or lessened with proper and frequent brushing.

Trimming

Proper trimming varies according to the breed. Most short haired dogs need little or no trimming. However, longer haired breeds need frequent trimming to keep a kept appearance. Except for the occasional trim at home, you should consider taking your dog to a professional groomer.

• Use blunt scissors or clippers.
• Be sure your dog is relaxed and still.
• Remember that in summer months, a shorter cut may do fine, but beware of sunburn if the trim is too short.
• Nail clipping

Dogs can get overgrown toenails and even ingrown toenails occasionally. It is wise to start clipping nails during the puppy stage. This way the dog becomes accustomed to the routine. Most dogs don't like change and you may have difficulties if the dog doesn't know what to expect.

• Get in a comfortable position.
• Work quietly and quickly.
• While cutting, be careful not to cut too close to the quick of the nail. If you do, there will be some bleeding and some pain for the dog. If you do have an accident, apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.
• Bathing

Occasionally, your dog will need a bath. It is best to use the bath tub, or if it is warm outside, bathe him outdoors using the garden hose.

• Gradually wet the dog all over.
• Cover the dog in dog shampoo and gently scrub. You shouldn't use human soaps and shampoos on dogs. Allergic reactions or irritation may result.
• Be careful around the dog's eyes, ears and mouth.
• Rinse thoroughly.
• It is wise to have newspapers on the floor to catch the dripping water.
• Rub the dog down to remove most of the water. He will dry naturally on his own.
• Ears

Cleaning your dog's ears is an important part of the grooming routine. Dogs with long ears have more problems than those with short ears. Check for parasites, scratches, dirt, etc. You will need cotton swaps, mineral oil, or better, an ear cleaning solution specifically designed for dogs to clean them properly.

• Restrain the dog in some way before you begin.
• Start by dropping a few drops of solution in the dog's ears.
• Take the cotton swab and gently stoke the inside of the ear.
• Do not enter the ear canal.

Eye Care

Care of the eyes is essential. When you notice foreign matter in or around your dog's eyes, take a soft cloth and wipe from the outer corner towards the inner corner. Apply ointment if irritation is present.

Dental Care

Lastly, it is very important to care for your dog's teeth. After the first year of life, a dog begins to develop tartar. You can combat this with dog biscuits and/or brushing, if your dog allows it.

Signs of a healthy dog

A common bit of canine folklore is that a healthy dog is one whose nose is cold and wet. Unfortunately, that's a myth. It takes a bit more to assess your dog's overall health. Here are a few things you should know.

1. Coat - The coat should be full, shiny and soft to the touch. Wire coats should be springy and full of life. There should be no thinning or lack of undercoat in double coated breeds such as the Collie and German Shepherd.

2. Skin - The skin should be smooth without areas of redness, open sores, scales, scabs or growths. Normal skin pigment can vary according to the breed and color of the dog. Some will have pink, black, brown or even spotted areas to the skin. The dog should be free of fleas, ticks and other external parasites.

3. Eyes - Healthy dogs have bright, shiny eyes. The area around the eyeball is known as the conjunctiva and should appear a healthy pink. Paleness in this area could be a sign of several underlying problems. There should be no thick, green or yellow discharge from the eyes. Certain breeds such as Poodles or Bichons tend to have a "watery" discharge that can often be considered normal.

4. Ears - Ears should be clean with no dark or bloody discharge or matter in the canal. Nor should there be a foul odor or redness and swelling around the ear.

5. Mouth - Gums should be pink or pigmented with black. Pale gums can be a sign of anemia. Red, inflamed gums are often a sign of gingivitis or other periodontal disease. The dog should have no bleeding or foul breath.

6. Teeth - Young dogs will have sparkling white teeth while older dogs will have some darkening. This darkening should not include any hard white, yellow, green or brown matter. The teeth should also fit into the gum with none of the root showing.

7. Nose - It is true that a dog's nose is normally moist and cold to the touch. Moistness should come only from clear, watery secretions. Any yellow, green or foul smelling discharge is abnormal. Such discharge often signals canine distemper in younger dogs.

8. Temperature - A dog's normal temperature is 101 degrees F. Excited dogs or recently active dogs may run a slightly higher temperature. But drastic increases of over 103 degrees or decreases registering less than 100 degrees should be checked out. There is one exception. Dogs about to give birth will often have a temperature that drops to 99 degrees. This can occur as far as twenty-four hours before the actual birth begins.

9. Urine - Urine should be clear and yellow. Dark brownish or reddish urine usually indicates the presence of blood. A dog should also urinate in proportion to the amount of water taken in. Drastic increases or decreases can signal such things as kidney failure, stones, crystals or even diabetes.

10. Feces - A dog's feces should be firm and brown. This color can be affected by the brand of dog food you use. Those that use a high amount of red food color will have stools that are almost brick color. There should be no worms, "grains of rice," red blood or black color in the stool. An owner also needs to be aware of any diarrhea, constipation, or lack of fecal production.

11. Muscles - An owner should be able to feel the indentations of the muscles. There should be no odd lumps in the tissue.

12. Weight - A dog that appears healthy in every way may still be over or underweight. The rib, back and hipbones should not show but be able to be palpated or felt. Dogs may have weight problems due to inadequate or over abundance of diet, diabetes, thyroid and various other problems.