With all our talk about caring for human seniors, it’s easy to forget our furry friends. Pets can enrich our lives so much, we want to make sure we do the same for them. For this article we will focus on dogs, because they age quickly, so here are 10 tips to help your dog age gracefully.
10 Tips to Help Your Dog Age Gracefully
Like humans, dogs are living longer than ever, and this can bring about a whole new set of problems due to age. So here are 10 tips to help take preemptive measures to ease their aging.
1. Watch your dog’s weight.
Weight on the muscles can contribute to arthritis and can make it harder for them to get up. It can also help avoid heart disease, diabetes, and other obesity induced diseases. The proper weight is when you can feel your dog’s ribs with your fingers but not seeing them.
2. Keep your dog active.
Just like humans, dogs need to stay active to stay strong. Practice “sit” and “come” throughout the day. This will prevent your dog from just plopping down from a standing position.
3. Try elevating their food and water bowls.
This prevents them from laying down all the time and losing muscle strength.
4. Try joint supplements.
It helps humans and it can help dogs.
5. Try a harness, having handles can help you help them with standing up.
6. Acupuncture and cold laser therapy are also options.
Cold laser therapy uses light, not heat, to stimulate wounds and heal injuries.
7. Try giving your dog a massage.
Just like when you get one, it not only feels good but it helps with their muscles and keeps them from getting stiff. Plus it gives you some intimate time with your dog and lets them know you are still there with them.
8. Practice range-of-motion exercises.
Moving your dog’s limbs can help keep joint fluid from becoming sticky and can make their movements easier. Gently extend (don’t pull) each leg five times while your dog lies on its side. Then turn them over and work the other side. You’ll can find instructional videos about this on YouTube.
9. Keep an eye on your dog’s vision.
Signs of declining vision can be if they hesitate to go down stairs or going out at night.
10. Finally, give your dog all the love and attention it deserves.
Make adjustments if your older dog is not as active. You can still bring them to the park, even if you just sit together.
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