Question:

Our dog is getting old and is having trouble getting around. You know up and down stairs and isn’t hearing or seeing so good. I want to make things easier for her. She’s a big old lab that is one of the family and it’s sad to see her struggling to get around. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain but boy she just isn’t the old hunting dog she once was. What would make her golden years easier?

ANSWER:

It is hard to see any member of the family age and our dogs do it all too quickly. What you are describing sounds like the normal decrease in mobility and overall faculties. Thankfully, things have improved substantially over the last decade for what we can do for our senior dogs to make their lives easier and improve their quality of life.

Big question is whether you have taken her to the vet within the last six months. Because of their accelerated lifespan in comparison to our own, six months for a senior dog is equivalent to five or six years for a human and underlying conditions can quickly develop between visits. I also recommend doing a Geriatric Blood Panel at least once a year beginning at age seven for large dogs and eight for medium to small breeds. This blood panel gives a baseline of where your dog’s parameters should be and as they age or if the worst happens and they become ill, your vet can quickly tell what is normal and what is not. This practice is often considered a money grab by owners but in reality, it can save thousands in the long run by picking up underlying conditions before they become apparent and cause your dog unnecessary suffering.

Enough from me on my soapbox.

Another reason I mentioned the visit to the vet for your pooch was wondering whether any arthritis was discovered at your last visit. It is rare that a large dog reaches their senior years without developing arthritis in their back, hips, knees and/or elbows and treating the pain can greatly increase her mobility and overall quality of life. There are a number of excellent canine non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) on the market that I highly recommend for any dog that is suffering from the pain of arthritis.

Along with treating the pain with medication, there is acupuncture that works miracles for old dogs as well as natural remedies such as Glucosamine hydrochloride (avoid sulphate with pets) and chondroitin.

There are also special senior diets – ask your vet which they would recommend for your Lab after they have assessed her physical condition.

Probably the hardest on our old dogs is inconsistent exercise schedules (this rule applies to our human grandparents as well). When our dogs were young, we would exercise them only moderately during the week and then on weekends take them on long, exhausting walks, swims or hunting sessions. As they age, it is better to exercise them the same amount each day even if it means leaving them at home for that Sunday hike around the lake. Long but infrequent exercise sessions are hard on old musculoskeletal systems and require a long recovery time. If you decide you cannot leave her at home, ask your vet about increasing her NSAID dose after the walk to help keep her comfortable.

The rest is common sense – do not let them jump into vehicles or onto furniture, make sure their bedding is soft, supportive and away from drafts, keep slick surfaces covered with a rubber bottomed carpet, assist them up and down stairs, do not leave them in their crate for as long or if you must, buy a larger one so she has more room to stretch. Like our human seniors, old dogs have their good days and bad and learning to read their body language will help you to keep her fit and healthy for many years to come.