Pets especially dogs easily become the part of family member. As you love and care your family members, in the same way you need to care your dog. Dogs are the most loved pets and you will find happy when your dog is healthy and fit. But with the age, there are many problems seen in the dogs.
When your dog is correctly fed, housed, and cared, there is a good chance of him of reaching a good age. A secure fenced in yard is very important to the life to a dog. If you have a backyard, enclosed it, so that you can open your door and let your dog in. As your dog grow old, its body go through natural aging processes.
The most obvious change you will find in your dog when he grows old probably will be a decline in activity. The first thing to watch for is tiring after exercise or long walk. The old aged dog cannot walk as fast or as far. Do not take long walks; instead, walk him little and often, especially to new places. Use a more leisurely pace, stopping several times for rest along the way. Don't force him to play if he does not want to.
An old aged dog will want to sleep more. Let him, and be sure his bed is a little softer as well as warmer in the winter. Be sure that he is not sleeping in a drafty place. Be aware of his intolerance for high and low temperatures and protect him from extremes. He feels the cold and heat as he never did before. Bathe him with the warm bathwater in winter. Don't bathe him unless it is absolutely necessary; sponge him instead with a damp cloth, or use a dry shampoo to keep him sweet and clean. His hair will turn gray and lose its sheen. Brush him often as this will help to stimulate his skin glands, which have become sluggish.
As the dog ages, his hearing becomes less acute. The sign of hearing loss in your dog may be inattention or disregard of your commands. Your dog is not being disobedient; he cannot hear your call. As your dog hearing weakens you can tap the ground to attract his attention or if his sight is still good and he is looking your way, you can start using hand signals. Often when one sense fails, another tries to make up for it; therefore, it is not unusual to find a deaf dog looking instead of listening for commands. Your dog will watch you more closely than ever before.
Failing sight is another serious problem seen in dogs in old age. Old dog sometimes frightened to move because he cannot see objects clearly. The condition may go unnoticed around the house, where everything is familiar, but if you change the furniture around or take him to some new place, you may notice that he stumbles of perhaps hesitates to move. Blue eye or cloudy eyeballs in old dogs may mean cataracts which, of cause, will need veterinary attention.
The totally blind dog can still enjoy life if a little extra care is taken for his safety and comfort. As long as he can smell, feel and hear his loved ones, he doesn't seem to mind at all. Blind dogs get around by memory. Don't rearrange your home furniture. Keep his things in the usual places. He will remember where they are and can find his water bowl, his bed and toys. Keep rooms and stairways bright and free of obstacles. If the dog is totally blind, guide him safely up and down the stairs.
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