How to Prepare for Your Dog’s Golden Years

It’s the inevitable eventuality that every animal lover fears: aging. Time flies by so quickly and a dog’s life seems to go by in the blink of an eye. Ten years, twelve years, sixteen years… It’s not long enough! However, despite the short time our dogs spend with us, each one leaves its mark on us in their own way.

Throughout their lives, dogs offer us so much: friendship, comfort, love, sometimes they are even a reason to get up in the morning. I believe that one way to thank our dogs for everything they give us is to accompany them in their aging with kindness.

How do you know when a dog is “old”?

Typically, you start seeing signs of aging around the age of 8. However, the rate at which a dog ages depends a lot on its breed, size, and genetics. So, signs may appear earlier or later.

There are many different ways a dog can show signs of aging. Signs can be as small as a slight drop in energy, so your dog may nap more often and tire more easily when exercising. However, some changes can be surprising and take over quickly if regular check-ups with your veterinarian are not done, such as cancer or kidney problems.

Maximizing Well-being in the Older Dog

The best way to have a dog that lives a long and healthy life is to act in prevention. Just like humans, to age well, you have to make decisions that promote the dog’s health before its health begins to decline!

Before an older dog’s quality of life declines, there are many things that can be changed to maximize his well-being.

Consult your veterinarian (regularly!)

Throughout a dog’s life, an annual health exam is important. However, as your dog approaches 8 years of age, these annual visits become even more critical. The older a dog gets, the faster a health problem can escalate if it’s not caught and treated early.

A geriatric blood test in addition to an annual exam is the best way to detect certain health problems in senior dogs.

TIPS FOR GOOD JOINT HEALTH

Keep your dog active

A dog that remains active throughout its life is more likely to have a better quality of life for a longer period of time than a dog that leads a more sedentary lifestyle. Staying active and moving in different ways that are appropriate for it on a regular basis builds muscle mass in a dog. The more muscular a dog is, the more his muscles surround and protect his joints.

*Please note, if you have an overweight dog or one with other health issues, consult your veterinarian before starting any new physical activity to avoid injuring your dog.

Keep your dog at a healthy weight

Of course, keeping a dog at a healthy weight reduces stress on the joints and further protects the joints from premature wear and tear.

A dog’s healthy weight can vary greatly depending on the breed and morphology of the dog! Here is a chart made by veterinarians that can be useful as a guide to know if your dog is at a healthy weight:

Aside from regular exercise, it’s important to consider what your dog consumes each day. Even a dog that gets a daily walk can easily gain weight if his diet isn’t appropriate for his energy level, age, and genetics.

The first thing to check is the amount of food you are giving your dog. Is your dog eating the appropriate amount for his weight and life stage according to the brand of food he is eating? Is your dog eating at will?

Precisely, it is strongly advised not to feed dogs ad libitum for several reasons. Too often, the dog eats too much and becomes obese. According to a study done by Kealy et al. in 2002 on ad libitum feeding versus a diet with calculated quantities, “Dogs fed ad libitum are more likely to be overweight…and have a shorter life expectancy…”. In addition, the study also notes that life expectancy is also affected, “Not only did the diet group live longer, but they also had a significant delay in the onset of chronic conditions (osteoarthritis, neoplasia, and others) of 2.1 years.”

So, it is better to ration your dog and offer him the appropriate amount. If in doubt about the type of food or the optimal amount for your dog, contact your veterinarian.

For dogs who already suffer from joint problems

1. Do appropriate exercise

The first thing to consider if your dog has joint problems is the exercise he does. As mentioned above, it is important to get our dogs moving! However, you must adapt the exercise to your dog’s physical condition. Certain movements as well as overly intense exercise sessions can exacerbate joint pain.

Here’s what should generally be avoided

• Sudden changes in direction
• Abrupt and repetitive stops and starts
• Repeated jumps

Here are the generally favorable exercises

• Swimming (here is a center that offers hydrotherapy: https://centrehydromassagecanin.ca/tout-savoir-sur-lhydromassage-canin/ )
• Walking on leash

*To find out what type of exercise is appropriate for your dog’s particular needs, consult your veterinarian.

2. Supplements

Glucosamine is probably the most well-known supplement! The function of glucosamine is to maintain and regenerate cartilage in the joints.

Green-lipped mussel powder is a lesser-known product than glucosamine, but can also be a good supplement for a dog with joint pain. This supplement is made from green-lipped mussels that are found only in New Zealand waters.

According to a 2002 study, adding green-lipped mussel to the diet of a dog showing signs of arthritis was an effective way to significantly reduce joint pain and inflammation after 6 weeks of use (Bierer and Bui, 2002).

Finally, more recent research has been done on the use of fish oil as a supplement to prevent and treat osteoarthritis in dogs. A study that was done in 2019 demonstrated very interesting results,

“The main conclusions that emerge demonstrate that dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), mainly in the form of fish oils, allows a modification of the blood profile in omega-3 fatty acids of the treated animals, a significant clinical improvement of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and the living conditions of the affected animals…”

There are several treatment options available to help relieve joint pain and slow the effects of arthritis. Be sure to consult your veterinarian to find out the best treatment plan for your dog’s specific needs.

TIPS FOR GOOD DENTAL HEALTH

Chewing activity

Chewing is not only a behaviorally enriching activity for your dog, but also an effective way to reduce tartar buildup! “A North American study of 1,350 dogs showed that dogs with chewable bones or strips had less tartar, less gingivitis, and less alveolysis than those with little or no chewable bones.” (Harvey et al., 1996)

Regular chewing reduces tartar simply by the mechanical motion of chewing; the action of the teeth rubbing on the bone repeatedly helps to dislodge tartar buildup.

Brushing teeth

The secret to good dental health is not rocket science! Just like with humans, the key is to brush your dog’s teeth regularly. There are even studies that report that regular tooth brushing can reduce tartar buildup by about 70% in dogs (HENNET, Philippe, 2014).

Here’s how to train your dog to let you brush his teeth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLFSgtlYnJc

Descaling

Finally, if your dog tends to build up a lot of tartar despite your efforts to reduce it, it is important to consult your veterinarian to discuss the possibility of a scaling. Your dog’s oral health can quickly deteriorate if it is not taken care of. A dog that needs a simple scaling may ultimately need to have one or more teeth extracted if the procedure is postponed too long.

Also, from a financial point of view, it is better to have a scaling done sooner than to wait and have to pay more for a longer procedure to extract teeth.

TIPS FOR GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

Stimulate your dog mentally

In addition to physical and chewing activity, mental activity is essential for aging dogs. It’s just like continuing to read, do puzzles, and try new activities as a human gets older. Continuing to teach your dog tricks, letting him sniff while walking, or providing him with interactive toys regularly can go a long way toward maintaining good cognitive function.

A very simple way to stimulate your old dog is to let him smell while he walks. Sniffing and exploring lots of smells is very stimulating for a dog. For more information on this subject, you can consult this article: https://www.proanima.com/fr/nouvelles/conseils/la-marche-une-odyssee-olfactive/

Aside from the olfactory activity, there are many interactive toys to get your grandpa or grandma’s neurons working. There are Kong-type toys, interactive bowls and digging mats. Even throwing a few kibbles in the lawn can be effective!

Avoid sudden changes in routine

In recent years, it has been no secret that anxiety is harmful to health! One way to reduce your dog’s stress is to slowly introduce changes to his routine.

As some dogs age, they may become more sensitive to changes in routine and may react poorly to sudden changes. With dogs of any age, it is always best to introduce changes slowly. However, an older dog may be more sensitive to big changes. Here are some tips to reduce stress when a big change in routine is planned:

• During a move (lots of boxes, lots of movement in the house, etc.), have your dog looked after in a place he knows and is comfortable with to avoid stress. Bring your dog home once everything is settled in your new home to make it less stressful.
• If your dog suddenly needs to spend more time alone at home, plan to make a gradual transition to get him used to spending more time alone rather than overnight.
• If your dog must spend long hours alone at home frequently, ask a friend, neighbor or family member to come spend time with him during the day to reduce the number of hours spent alone.
• Hiring a dog walker or dog sitter can be a great option to reduce the amount of time your dog spends home alone.

Respect your dog’s limits

As your dog ages, his or her tolerance level for different elements in life may change. Here are some tips to ensure you are respecting your senior dog’s needs:

• In a home with young children, make sure all interactions are supervised and be proactive during these interactions. Additionally, make sure that said interactions are respectful and safe. Additionally, your dog may need space and quiet time. Make sure your dog can rest without being disturbed. Using a baby gate or a pen can help manage interactions more easily.
• When handling your dog for grooming or wiping his paws, go slowly and more calmly. Remember that your dog may have difficulty standing for long periods of time and his joints may be sensitive.
• Listen to your dog’s body language and test for consent to limit anxiety-provoking interactions.

Creating beautiful memories is precious

To conclude, I think it is important to address the subject: how to keep good memories of your dog?

Personally, I love having beautiful pictures of my dogs. So, I always strongly recommend doing business with a professional photographer to capture the beauty and personality of the dog. Here is a list of Quebec animal photographers:

-Geneviève Lacombe: https://www.gelacombephotos.com/

-Chantal Levesque: https://www.chantallevesquephoto.com/

-Catherine Arsenault: https://www.catherinarsenault.com/

-Amélie Gagnon-Dupont: https://ameliegdphotographe.wixsite.com/ameliegdphotographe

However, there are other ways to make memories. Here is a list of ideas:

-Your dog, a painter! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGaos3dpeC4

-Take your dog’s fingerprint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACbd7zdRBwE

-Your dog immortalized by a painter! Here is the site of a Quebec animal painter: http://www.patricklarrivee.com/

Article written by
Émilie Malin, animal behavior specialist at Proanima.

References

Tiffany Linn Bierer, Linh M. Bui, Improvement of Arthritic Signs in Dogs Fed Green-Lipped Mussel (Perna canaliculus), The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 132, Issue 6, June 2002, Pages 1634S–1636S, https://doi. org/10.1093/jn/132.6.1634S

https://www.pharmanath.com/blog-complements-alimentaires/complement-alimentaire-articulation-arthrose/moule-verte-de-nouvelle-zelande-la-meilleure-alliee-des-articulations

Grainne McCarthy, James O’Donovan, Boyd Jones, Hester McAllister, Michael Seed, Carmel Mooney, Randomized double-blind, positive-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate for the treatment of dogs with osteoarthritis, The Veterinary Journal, Volume 174, Issue 1, 2007, Pages 54-61, ISSN 1090-0233, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.02.015 .

Declercq, Roxane. Prevalence and risk factors of overweight in dogs, epidemiological study. Thesis, Veterinary Medicine, National Veterinary School of Toulouse – ENVT, 2019, 101 p., https://oatao.univ-toulouse.fr/25589/1/Declercq_25589.pdf

Charue, A. (2019). The interest of a diet supplemented with Omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of osteoarthritis in dogs. (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. Retrieved from https://matheo.uliege.be/handle/2268.2/7104

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