Silver hairs on the muzzle (so many of them now!), coat as if powdered with ashes, bright eyes got dim. Oh, dear, how quickly she got so old! After all, she is only... Why? So old? And what now?
They only thing for you now is to wait and to thank your dog for all she's given to you. Alas, sometimes it is too late. You see terrible signs of aging and only now you understand how few attention you've devoted to her. You just haven't had time. Either she pestered with a ball or a stick - and you said: Leave me, I'm busy, we will play tomorrow - or she needed to be taken to the country, to walk at liberty, but... there was no time, - May be next week, closer to spring, in summer...
Come, dear! Here is your ball! She doesn't want to... (Can't believe this - she doesn't want to run any more. Now she has a short breath and her legs step as if made of wood.) Well, don't you want a tidbit? Piece of cake? Yes? (She ate it... Feel a load off my mind - she is still interesting with something.)
A vision of an old animal arouses so much sad thoughts! You wish to make your old friend happy. But! Unwise compassion may do harm. Therefore watch it. Watch it as thoroughly as you never did even to a baby dog. Old age is not just a fading of physical activity, but an arrival of diseases as well.
Age diseases are very often invisible. When a young dog is ill, you can determine this right off: the temperature gets high, the coat grows dim. In the declining years most of diseases are chronic. The disorder lasts long sapping the weak organism. The signs are not prominent. Dim coat? Well, it gets more a more dim with age. Food whims? The old girl is depressed because of changing weather. But nevertheless...
Observe your dog walking outside. It's no trouble when it doesn't run - the reason is, of course, its age. But if it moves with difficulty, carefully putting legs and even yelps at a stumble, you should consult the specialist. When the dog is old it is exposed to the same diseases as an old man - rheumatism along with gouty deposits, numerous chronic inflammations of muscles and joints. The veterinary may suggest a course of treatment, or probably not, since it has no sense. But, yet the dog needs a thorough care. If the weather is wet and cold and the dog moves hardly, complains of pain and feels cold, don't make a long walk - don't try to fight fire with fire. Dress it in a blanket or in a coat even if the dog is large but for the sake of its comfort. When in a sunny and warm weather the dog wants to lie on grass, don't hurry, let it have a rest. After all, you can get up half an hour earlier to allow the dog stroll slowly to her pleasure.
With many old dogs heart gets worse, therefore rest and your kind attitude are in great demand. No matter how you hurry, don't pull the dog on the leash. Short breath and cold paws often companion cardiac insufficiency. Sometimes it is better to let the dog relax where the attack found it, sitting or lying - as it wants, then to get it home, even if in your arms. Otherwise you may aggravate its state. The main is to stay away from being nervous and frightening the dog. There's no escaping fate, and though the trouble may come at any minute, your peace of mind can bring your dog strength, in contrast to nervousness.
In the old years the metabolism rate reduces and the organism is more susceptible to negative factors. Some dogs become allergic to these or that foodstuffs. The dog scratches, the hair sheds. Scratchings, wet spots and sometimes sores appear on the skin. All this is non-infectious, but extremely painful. The first the owner should do is to exclude all sweets (if present), cut down or exclude fats and chicken eggs. Strong as your wish to indulge the dog may be, you must not give it table scraps, since human food always contain salt, spices, flavorings - substances that are no good for your old dog. If you really feel sorry for your pet, give it a tiny biscuit (rye or wheat - the one it likes more), some raisins or slices of apple and other dried fruits. Very few old dogs keep the predilection for fresh vegetables and fruits. Nevertheless try to offer some.
A good remedy for food allergy is the solution of calcium chloride and Suprastin. But before administering, consult your vet. Try to weaken skin itch by soda compress: dissolve a tea-spoon of soda in a glass of water (better boiled cold), wet a gauze tampon and put it on an injured area. Repeat the procedure several times a day - every time when you notice the dog feels unrest again. On no account wash the affected skin, even if the shampoo is extra soft. Any cleanser removes oil and makes the skin more unprotected against pathogens, which stimulate infection on healthy parts. Demat and comb coat, cut off the hairs stuck with lymph, dry pus wash away with a weak manganese solution. Apply ointments only according to the veterinary recommendations.
Don't take carelessly even a mild eczema (this is the name for a fair number of different skin diseases among non-specialists). It may occur that after several days small scratched spots will turn into a very serious lesion of the whole skin and festering will become so hard and intractable that may provoke general blood poisoning that won't leave a chance to save the dog.
With age the dog's teeth get worse. A solid yellow-brown plaque accumulates on them, and is called tooth calculus. In the area where it touches the gum, the mucous membrane may become inflamed and ulcerous. To avoid this, remove calculus regularly. One can do this in the way as follows: take an aluminum spoon and hook the plaque by its edge (near the gum) and with effort pass the spoon along the tooth. Calculus splits off in small pieces, so you should try to completely remove it away. Soft tooth plaque may be removed by a cotton ball wetted with soda solution. Fair bleeding that may occur at the calculus removal will stop on its own. If calculus accumulates rapidly, pay attention to the dog's diet - probably you give him sweets or his mineral metabolism is damaged.
With very old dogs teeth are worn to the cavity in the body of the tooth (caries). Carious teeth are better to be removed: decay products poison the animal's organism and for the dog it's painful to chew. A vet may suggest removing teeth if the roots are so weak that teeth move forward from the gum and become loosened. This event is always accompanied by inflammation. In short, bad teeth adversely affect the dog's health, especially digestion, therefore watch them to be alright.
As for digestion, with age it gets worse very often. Chronic diseases are typical for a senior liver. Notice what kinds of food stimulate vomit, diarrhea or constipation and exclude them from the dog's diet. Perhaps, it'll take a long time to choose a right diet. But when you find it, don't go back a step of it. No matter how your dog likes meat, fish or chicken bones, never give them, if upset the dog's stomach. A mere piece of grease, a bit of flesh may evoke acute attack of liver or stomach disease. The most effective remedy against disorders in digestive organs is an individual diet. The more you are consistent with this line the more years you give to your friend. When you understand this, your spirit hardens.
In the aging and aged dogs the needs for energy average to 3.2 kcal/g of food, i.e. 22 g of proteins in 100 g of dry substance of food, 8 g of fat and 40 g of carbohydrates per 100 g of dry substance. The food should always be fresh.
Even if the digestion and skin are normal, avoid bulky foods rich in carbohydrates such as porridge and bread. They strain the stomach and a one jerky movement would be enough to stimulate bloating. It is expressed as the dog's belly quickly swells up, becomes huge and solid; the dog moans, thick white foam appears on its lips, sometimes it shows retching; vomit is non-abundant, better to say just a foam belch.
Take the dog to the surgeon immediately. It you can't do this for some reason, don't allow the dog to lie down. Go out and walk in a slow path and leashed. Say tender words - since it hurts so much now. Get the dog up each time it tries to lie and continue walking until a professional medical care will come. The earlier the dog will get to the operating table the more chances it has to survive.
To avoid bloating don't walk with the old dog until it is 1 - 1.5 hour after feeding, or better feed it when you come home. Don't encourage attempts to take leaps - it doesn't want to, but tries to please you with its obedience. If the dog pounces on the food, you can switch to multi-maintenance, feed in small portions and cancel fasting days.
With a senior organism vitamins are in great demand. Use multi-vitamin preparations like "Undevit". Or try to do alone with vitamin A and D oil solutions. Give twice less amount as for a puppy and fairly frequent - 2 to 3 times a week. Vitamin A maintains weakening eyes, while vitamin D will normalize the phosphorous-calcium exchange that often gets broken in the old age.
Excessive exhaustion when skin is like being stretched on bones may be a symptom of disease or may be not. Dogs that reached such an impressive age and outlived their children usually look like this.
With years sexual function fails, males usually lose the interest to the opposite sex earlier, though not without exception. Females keep on coming in season till the extreme old age. Sometimes the heat may last very long. The female seeks for the male company not 3 or 4 but 7 and more days. She is ready to mate tirelessly. But this is just what you should not admit though such matings are fruitless. Such abnormal sexual activity is closely connected with uterus diseases and if a vet recommends removing womb and ovary, you should agree. Smoldering internal inflammation and tumor growing inside threatens the dog's life. Removing of uterus will save her from hard pain and prolong her days.
Urination diseases are very hard both for the dog and the owners. This may result from various inflammatory processes in kidneys, urinary bladder or urinary duct. The dog is impatient with urination and often waters, even at sleep. Such a disorder is difficult to cure, but, of course, the vet's advice would be of use. Bladder stones give an absolutely opposite picture: the dog urinates rarely and with difficulty. Urine stream is fine and broken. Urine goes in drops and often contains blood. Urination is very painful. In this case a skillful treatment is necessary. But the main thing is not to neglect the disease. Organism poisoning with decomposition products at urinary retention may cause very sad consequences.
Oncological diseases too don't pass the dogs by. Some breeds are more inclined to these, others - less, but every year, the dog lives through, the risk for tumors increases. In this connection make it a rule to at list once in two months attentively examine and delicately palpate your pet, especially if it is long-coated. Thickenings underneath the skin that are similar to a bead or a pea, especially in the scrotum and in the armpits, increased lymphatic nodes under the lower jaw and behind the ears, swelled teats, and genitals in males and females - these are what should not be disregarded. Such new growths are by no means always malignant. But say "It is save" one can only after the special checkup. It's quite possible that a suddenly appeared tumor will "fall asleep" and years will pass till it will disturb the dog. Though a rapid growth is also possible. If a professional advice is to do an operation, don't delay - soon you'll have no time. An operated dog continues to live and feels happy many years after. Though don't insist on operation - the doctor knows better than you, when surgical help is needed and when drugs would be enough and it is better to leave the dog alone. Strictly keep to all of the professional advices. Don't regard a dog in the yard walking with the mammary tumor for a year or so without any treatment. Your charge didn't pass through such a stern school as that dog did and has a far less stamina.
If no alarm symptoms in your dog, well, this is wonderful, but: take care of it. Don't overload with walks, however prevent it from lying too long putting weight on. The biggest threat for the dearest dog is senior obesity. An old dog wastes less energy than before. The slimmer your dog is the better will it feel. Thin dogs are less predisposed to senior infections, they do not have problems with coat, as a rule, their heart doesn't hurt, while bowels too work better than with overfed animals.
No matter how good (regarding its age) the dog feels, try to bring as few drastic changes as possible to its life. Unusual food, new roots outdoors, new friends - all this may give a spur to a rapid fading. In addition, in the evening of life most of dogs become jealous. The moment of the owner's interest to other animal or new people coming in the house - this makes the old chap feels deserted and lonely. It this case an extremely neat dog, that from the young nails was duly asking to go outside, may suddenly spoil the floor, an affectionate animal all of sudden begins to bark and through at guests. Don't blame it. He feels bad, since it sees health leaves its body and so it begins to be afraid. Just pet the dog. Let it be sure in your true love, don't get tired to show your charge how dear it you.
An old dog means cares, unrest and labor. It can get sick, it is capricious, it smells badly. First you can't move him from the place all day long, and then you can't calm him down in any way. Be patient. After all, during all its life the dog has been doing what you've asked it to do and has been serving you and that was his happiness. Now it's your turn to serve the dog. Just understand that days run fast and very little time is left to be together.
Sometimes life leaves the dog easily and quickly - it falls a sleep. But sometimes suffering lasts for many weeks and months, and each moment of being is full of pain. Paralyses, unbearable pain, caused by a growing tumor are possible. And the dog may stay in consciousness or, on the contrary, percept almost no signals from the outer world, submerged in its own pain. The dog suffers and so do its owners. The desire to help is high, but salvation is impossible.
The only thing you can do for the tortured dog is to stop this agony. Please, don't say "This is inhumane". You don't think it's merciful to allow your dear dog to rot alive, to bear intolerable pain, do you? Just understand that euthanasia ("easy death") is good for a dog exhausted with a disease. Of course, it is a difficult decision, but at some circumstances this is necessary. Whey you see no way out, be with your pet till the end. Don't leave him in the arms of strangers, no matter what they promised you about a quick cutting off the dog's sufferings and your sensitivity. This is your love and kind words that must be the last what your departing friend should feel. Don't leave him alone in this dreadful moment. Let your arm rest on his head - this is your last duty and gift.
You can't imagine what will be when... Yes, it will be hard. In a dream you'll seem to hear nails clattering on the floor and this sound will make you wake up, you will call and understand there's nobody to push his cold nose in your hand. At a usual time you'll grab a leash and will stay long beside the door, holding it in your arms. And you will say to yourself: "What a silly sentimentality. Really, she lived such a long life", but the heart still aches. Every angry word, every offence made without purpose will come to your mind each dead of night, when it is so quite at the house. How to abate this pain? How to get rid of this anguish?
There's only one reliable remedy - to get a puppy. Don't hurry with giving promises that you'll never get another dog. It should be! You can do nothing with the difference between your life times. A new puppy will bring new troubles, puddles and torn slipper... It will grow, will become more pretty and wiser. Don't worry, he won't overshadow the image of the dog that was first and the best in the world. He will be just somebody else... They simply should not be compared. Though if you nevertheless strive to avoid comparison, choose another breed, another sex. What about taking one of your firstling's posterity - some of her features will suddenly emerge in the baby and it will be as if she came back home.
It is a big luck if an old animal saves its kind nature and interest to other dogs, especially to young ones. Then you have an opportunity to smooth its loneliness over by taking a little pup in to the house. It would be of use for both: a kid will not be scared to stay at home when the owners are at work, and for the old chap it will be interesting to play with the baby and it will get an extra stimulus for life. However watch your pets. If a puppy irritates the pensioner, it may provoke a conflict and in result, the puppy will be hurt physically, and the old dog - morally. So, before you take the baby home, give the old dog a chance to communicate with the pup that belongs to somebody of your friends. If your old charge will like this, don't hesitate and get a puppy.
Many of us, after parting with the first dog say: "Never ever". And with some of us, the houses stay empty. Don't they look with a hidden grief at those lucky men who walk along the streets with their four-footed friends? These people were scared of new parting and deprived themselves of many happy years of communication with the second and the third dog. Now they feel sorry for that decision but time goes by, and health cuts the wish down...
Don't do this mistake, look at this pup's eyes. He is looking for an owner, for a friend. The canine and human kin should not go apart!
by E.N. Mychko, O.B. Lifanova "A Dog in Your House",
Translated by Tatiana Karpova (Moscow)
(MSU, Biology faculture, Dep. zoology and ecology).