Common Conditions in Senior Dogs and How to Treat Them

It’s generally assumed your dog at age 7 is heading into the second half of her life. I know it seems a little premature to view a 7 year-old dog as a senior citizen, especially if your pooch still looks and acts like a puppy.

But for purposes of supporting her health, mental status and quality of life as she ages, it’s really not a bad idea to think about ways you can take extra-special care of your pet as she crosses the 7 year threshold and beyond.

The PawNation.com article linked above discusses 8 health conditions commonly seen in older dogs. I’ve picked 5 of their 8, adding my own recommendations for things you can do to help prevent or alleviate these symptoms of aging.

Common Condition #1: Arthritis

Maintaining your dog at a healthy weight and insuring he’s physically active throughout his life will help control arthritis and degenerative joint disease in his later years.

Chiropractic adjustments, massage, stretching, aquatic therapy and acupuncture are therapies that can make a world of difference in the mobility of your pet as he ages. Talk with your holistic/integrative vet about supplements you can add to your dog’s diet to help maintain healthy tendons, ligaments, joints and cartilage. Some of these might include:

• Glucosamine sulfate with MSM and eggshell membrane
• Omega-3 fats (krill oil)
• Ubiquinol
• Supergreen foods like spirulina and astaxanthin
• Natural anti-inflammatory formulas (herbs, proteolytic enzymes and nutraceuticals)
• Adequan injections, which can stimulate joint fluid very rapidly in pets with arthritis

Common Condition #2: Cataracts

Unfortunately, cataracts are common in older dogs. However, it’s important to know whether your dog really has cataracts, or whether she has an even more common eye condition called nuclear sclerosis.

In nuclear sclerosis, the eye tissue gets harder and more rigid over time, and the eyes take on a bluish-grey tint. Unlike cataracts, nuclear sclerosis doesn’t seriously compromise eyesight and no treatment is necessary.

One way you can help your dog avoid cataracts is to make sure she never gets overweight, which increases the likelihood of diabetes. Diabetic cataracts cause blindness in way too many precious pups.

Another cause of cataracts is toxicity. This is just one more reason you should never allow your dog to receive vaccinations she doesn’t need, or to depend on other drugs commonly overprescribed to pets. Be very careful as well with heartworm meds and flea/tick preventives.

Bilberries are a rich source of flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties. When taken in capsule form combined with Vitamin E, they protect the eye tissue of humans and halt lens clouding in 97 percent of people with early-stage cataracts. This herb is safe for dogs, so it’s certainly something that might help and won’t harm your pet. Integrative Therapeutics Bilberry Extract (scroll down for dosing instructions).

Common Condition #3: Constipation

A decreased activity level and poor muscle tone in the GI tract due to aging can contribute to constipation in older dogs. However, if your pet is otherwise healthy, is eating the right diet and getting plenty of clean water to drink, there’s no reason to assume he’ll become constipated in his senior years.

How to prevent constipation in dogs of any age:

• Feed a balanced, moisture rich, species-appropriate diet.
• Supplement with digestive enzymes and probiotics.
• Make sure your pooch gets plenty of exercise.

If additional fiber is necessary from time to time, good sources include:

• Psyllium husk powder: 1/2 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight 1-2 times daily on food
• Ground dark green leafy veggies: 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight 1-2 times daily with food
• Coconut fiber: 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight 1-2 times daily on food
• Canned 100 percent pumpkin: 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight 1-2 times daily on food

Common Condition #4: Tooth and Gum Disease

Eighty percent of dogs age 3 and older have gum disease. I can’t stress enough the importance of helping your dog keep her mouth clean. Taking the following steps will insure your canine companion won’t have to spend her golden years with missing teeth, gum disease … or worse.

• Feed a species appropriate, preferably raw diet. When your dog gnaws on raw meat, in particular, it acts as a kind of natural toothbrush.
• Brush your dog’s teeth, preferably every day.
• Perform routine mouth inspections. Your dog should allow you to open her mouth, look inside, and feel around for loose teeth or unusual lumps or bumps on the tongue, under the tongue, along the gum line and on the roof of her mouth.
• Arrange for regular oral exams and professional cleaning, if necessary, performed by your veterinarian.
• Offer a fully digestible, high quality dental dog chew like Mercola Healthy Pets Dog Dental Bones or the Mercola Gentle Dental Bone to provide mechanical abrasion and help control plaque and tartar on your dog’s teeth. The effect is similar to chewing raw bones, but safer for powerful chewers or dogs that have had restorative dental work done, and can’t chew raw bones.

Common Condition #5: Senility

Signs your dog’s brain is aging include an increase in the amount of time spent sleeping, decreased attention/disinterest in his surroundings, intermittent loss of acquired knowledge (for example, housebreaking), increased anxiety in the form of wariness, panting, moaning or shivering.

In addition to feeding a species-appropriate diet and regularly exercising your dog, do the following to help keep your pet mentally sharp:

• Continue to socialize your dog with other pets and people, and provide him with stimulating toys.
• Provide a SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) supplement. Studies show dogs with age-related cognitive decline given a SAMe supplement for eight weeks achieved a 50 percent reduction in mental impairment. Consult your holistic vet for the correct dose for your dog.
• Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) have been shown to improve brain energy metabolism and decrease the amyloid protein buildup that results in brain lesions in older dogs. Coconut oil is a rich source of MCTs. I recommend 1/4 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily for basic MCT support.
• Other supplements to consider are resveratrol, which protects against free radical damage and beta-amyloid deposits, ginkgo biloba, and phosphatidylserine – a nutritional supplement that can inhibit age-related cognitive deficits. Again, I recommend you consult a holistic veterinarian for dosing guidance.