Senior Dog Health Problems

Senior dogs, just like senior adults, have some specific health problems. Regular veterinary care can catch a lot of these problems in the early stages, which increases the chance of the condition being treated successfully. Preventive care, such as feeding the dog an appropriate food, ensuring it gets vaccinated as needed and exercising the dog, is also helpful.

Degenerative joint disease is a common health problem in many geriatric dogs. It is caused by a normal wearing down of joint tissues, which may be aggravated by conditions such as dysplasia. This condition, which is sometimes called osteoarthritis, affects a dog's mobility. Some dogs with this condition may simply slow down. Others may have extreme difficulty walking or jumping. This painful condition should be treated by a veterinarian, who may prescribe pain medication and/or anti-inflammatories for the dog.

Senile cataracts, which affect a dog's eyesight, are common in senior dogs. This condition is sometimes confused with nuclear sclerosis, which is a normal graying of the lens in the eyes of dogs over 6 years old. Both conditions have similar symptoms, which include bumping into things and noticeable lens changes. Only a trip to the veterinarian can determine whether the dog has cataracts or not. If the dog has cataracts, surgery is usually necessary to correct the problem.

Obesity is a health problem that is usually the result of a slowed metabolism. However, other conditions, including hypothyroidism and arthritis, may contribute to the problem. Feeding the dog a food made especially for senior dogs and encouraging it to exercise as much as possible can help to reduce the weight gain.

Mitral insufficiency is a condition in which the mitral valve in the heart stops functioning properly. This condition is more common in small-breed dogs, including Yorkies and pugs, than it is in large-breed dogs. Elevated blood pressure and fluid retention are two of the most common symptoms of this condition. If this condition is caught in the early stages, it can be treated with a medication regime that includes diuretics to control fluid retention and decrease blood pressure.

As a dog grows older, the chance of dental problems increases. The most common is periodontal disease. This is a disease that causes bad breath and tooth loss. As the disease advances, it may affect the dog's appetite, especially once chewing becomes painful due to inflamed tissues. Preventive care, including daily brushing, is the best way to avoid this health problem. However, once the disease is present, treatment usually includes prescription antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication.