Older dogs, like other living things, do not become healthy as they did in their youth.
Seen in older dogs health unfortunately, the problems are not ones that can be avoided. However, you need to do the best for them in this period as they do the best to show you their loyalty in their youth.
The most common health problem in dogs during old age can be evaluated as “energy loss”. They can no longer be as energetic and energetic as they were before commands they may have difficulty in fulfilling it, or they may not be as active as before in tasks such as hunting and watchmaking.
These conditions, which we have listed above, are common in older dogs health problems and since these are completely dependent on old age, you should no longer treat them as you used to.
Along with these, there are also health problems in older dogs. You will see what problems these are in our article.
The Most Common Health Problems in Older Dogs
When your dog starts to age, you will unfortunately encounter some diseases that most will not prevent. Here are those diseases...
1) Arthritis
When your dog gets older, arthritis is the first disease you will see. Also called “Joint disease”, this condition is considered to be the fact that the dog can no longer even carry its base.
Arthritis or “osteoarthritis”, which directly affects the weight-bearing joints, causes fluid loss in the joints, cartilage wear due to fluid loss and bone growth.
Arthritis in older dogs is not a treatable health problem. However, to relieve her pain, not to tire as before, allowing her to rest more allows her to have a less painful period.
2) Kidney Disease
Another of the health problems seen in dogs due to aging is kidney disease. This condition, which started with kidney failure at first, then turns into “tam kidney failure” problem.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease due to age. However, with some treatment applications, it can be ensured that the dog lives a better quality life.
We advise you to act by consulting your veterinarian, learning how to behave and what you should pay attention to in your diet.
3) Deafness
One of the most common diseases due to old age in dogs is deafness. This condition, which starts with the nerves losing their function, is not a problem that can be treated.
Some measures the owner can take against deafness in older dogs can help the older dog adapt more easily to this new life.
Not allowing yourself to leave the house alone, not leaving it alone for a long time, commanding with hand signals instead of voice commands for communication will help your old friend get more comfortable with this life.
4) Blindness
Vision loss in old age is among the common diseases in older dogs, as seen in humans and other living things.
The loss of the function of the visual nerves due to age leads to the problem of blindness in dogs. Although it is not completely blind in the first periods, it begins with visual disturbances and continues until blindness in the later periods.
Blindness in older dogs is also not a disease that can be treated. However, the fact that the owner now approaches his old friend more tenderly, takes care of his needs, puts the food and water container in a place where he can reach more comfortably will help the dog to live a better quality life.
5) Dementia
Although dementia is a disease that can also be seen in adult dogs, it is a health problem that is more common in dogs during old age.
Dementia is a disease similar to Alzheimer's in humans. Dementia, which has some symptoms, such as confusion, urinary and stool accidents, getting in the opposite direction of the door, is unfortunately not treated in older dogs.
Treating your older dog with dementia with a more compassionate approach will help him get through this period more comfortably. Especially in case of accidents of urine and feces, you should take care to be more compassionate towards your old friend.
6) Urine Abduction
One of the most common problems in older dogs is urinary incontinence. This problem can be a harbinger of different diseases as it can be seen alone.
If your old friend has a urinary incontinence problem, you must undergo a veterinarian check. If the problem is entirely due to old age, it is important that you now take more care of your dog, increasing the frequency of going out.
Dogs, like humans and other living things, cannot work their organs and muscles as before. This leads to problems such as urinary incontinence.
7) Obesity
Obesity, which is often seen in people in recent times, is a problem that occurs especially in dogs due to old age.
Of course, the biggest reason for obesity in dogs is joint diseases. The fact that they cannot work their muscles as before, that they cannot be active causes them to gain weight.
To prevent obesity in older dogs, you need to feed them with old dog food. These foods, these, “diyet foods” since it is, it is foods that contain balanced protein and calories with less fat.
Of course, we have to accept that there is a difficult problem to avoid. But taking more care to pay off your debt to your friend will help her complete her old age more comfortably.
8) Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism, which is among the common health problems in older dogs, is among the non-treatment diseases.
There is no definitive information about why hypothyroidism occurs. But dog experts note that this problem is mostly due to the fact that your dog's immune system is releasing ‘ into the thyroid and causing harm to it or treating an overactive thyroid.
The most important thing you should do when you start to encounter this disease in your dog is to feed it with diet foods. Although there is no cure, you can make the quality of life more quality by acting in this way.
9) Osteoarthritis
One of the health problems you may see after your dog completes his youth and takes a foot in old age will be osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis, which causes limping in older dogs, occurs when the cartilage that covers your dog's joints gradually deteriorates.
There is no treatment for this disease that can be applied in old age. But since it is a painful process, you need to ease their pain.
When you start to see osteoarthritis in your old dog, having your veterinarian check-ups more regularly and taking care of him as recommended will help ease his pain.
10) Bunama (CCD)
In dogs, as in humans, due to aging dementia (CDD) problem visible. Although it is a bit difficult to treat this condition, approaching it correctly as an owner will increase the quality of life.
Symptoms of dementia in dogs are as they are in humans. For example, although she has just eaten food, she may want food again, give unnecessary barks or reactions.
Of course, it is not something that can be expected that you take control of all these things. But in older dogs, showing enough attention during the dementia period, waiting for the commands you gave in your youth to perform in old age, will help you live the last stages of your life more comfortably.
11) Organ Failure
Common health problems in older dogs include organ failure. Renal, heart and liver failure, it is among the most common problems in this period.
If your dog is now older and has difficulty performing functions, he may have faced organ failure. The best thing you can do in this case is to show it to a veterinarian and take care of it as he tells you to.
How to Tell if Dogs Are Aging?
Dogs are born, grow, age and die like other creatures. It is impossible to stand against this law of nature. But if you can understand that your dog is getting older, you can change your communication with him and act accordingly.
Dogs are considered to be “-aged” after 6 years of age. When the researchers give information about the calculation of the dog's age, they accept that the first year of the dog is equal to the 15 years of the human, while the second age is equal to the age of 9 years of the human and progresses in this way.
According to this thesis, which is based on scientific data, your dog is now 6 years old “old” you must accept it. If you have any health problems in older dogs that we mentioned above, you should now accept your dog as an elder.
How to Feed Older Dogs?
The metabolism and digestive systems of older dogs work more heavily than do adult dogs. If you feed your old dog with adult dog food, you will first become obese.
The best dog food for older dogs feeding and caring for your loyal friend regularly will prevent your friend from facing different diseases in old age.
How do you know a dog is old?
To understand that a dog you find on the street is old; look at its teeth. If there is a deficiency in their teeth or there is no energy in their movement, you can understand that the dog is old.
Why do old dogs cry?
Older dogs may not be able to perform certain functions, may have organ failure, or have similar problems. They cry because it causes them to suffer.
Why do old dogs tremble?
Joint problems in older dogs are among the most common diseases. This causes them to be unable to work their muscles sufficiently and, accordingly, to tremble.