It’s common for most dogs approaching senior years to develop ailments and health problems associated with old age.
Learn about the four most common issues most senior dog owners face, and learn how you can deal with them by the time your dog experiences the same.
1. Recurring Skin Issues and Allergies
Senior dogs’ immune systems usually degrade over time, resulting in the recurrence of common health issues, such as infections, skin issues, and allergies.
An old dog may develop atopic dermatitis due to dry skin. It could also have the adverse effects of allergy caused by environmental allergens, such as pollen and dust.
With a weak immune system, a senior dog usually develops allergies, even with some food ingredients, despite not having a history of allergies before his senior years.
When this happens, consult your trusted veterinarian and ask for better management of these issues. Also, consider supplementing your old dog with omega fatty acids to restore moisture lost in his skin due to age-related moisture loss.
2. Arthritis
Arthritis is an excruciating condition most senior pets suffer from.
Old age degrades a dog’s ligaments and joints. A significant reduction of joint fluid may also happen to an old dog, which is worrisome because the fluid’s primary role is to reduce friction between the joints. With insufficient fluid, friction is high, resulting in excruciating joint pains and inflammation.
If you think your dog is suffering from arthritis or similar joint issues, consider if you could use some pain relievers or similar forms of medication. A trusted veterinarian will advise you on which medications to take and, if possible, some home remedies you could do for your dog.
3. Hearing Problems
Nerves around the dog’s ear area tend to degrade with age. There’s no known cure for this, except for some supplements that could help slow down the onset of hearing problems among senior dogs.
Hearing problems in dogs may also be caused by otosclerosis—an occurrence among old dogs in which a bone grows near the middle ear, causing hearing loss in most affected dogs.
As with other health issues, you must let your veterinarian check your dog if you suspect it has hearing problems. What you deem a hearing problem could be a sign of canine cognitive dysfunction, an age-related illness concerning the brain.
4. Vision Loss
It’s common among humans and dogs that with old age usually comes vision issues, sometimes even blindness.
One of the most commonly identified causes of vision loss among the elderly is cataracts, a condition in which a film-like membrane clouds the eye, causing a significant deterioration in vision.
Any of the following may also cause vision loss among senior dogs:
- Glaucoma
- Macular degeneration
- Chronic dry eye
- Untreated eye infections
- Diabetes
