Is your Golden Retriever facing some older dog problems? Whether you bought him as a puppy or you adopted him as an older dog, you still want to make his sunset years as comfortable as possible. Let's see how we can help.
There are lots of things you can do to make your Golden Oldie's life more comfortable on a daily basis.This can be as simple as providing a heated dog bed to soothe his arthritic aches.
You can also raise his food and water dishes a few inches off the floor so he doesn't have to bend over so far.
You'll find an unbelievable variety of senior dog supplies at your local pet store that are marketed to help with older dog problems.
Browse the aisles and think about what might make your aging companion more comfortable.
You might even need to hang onto an old car that he can stiffly climb into when he can no longer leap into the family van, to go to the vet. (At least, that's the excuse I'm using to keep my old car!)
Seriously, you need to watch for things that cause your old buddy discomfort, and try to make his life easier.
Click here to share a story and photo about your own Golden Oldie and read stories from others about their older Goldens, too!
Veterinarians usually classify Golden Retrievers as "geriatric" when they reach eight years of age. Most Goldens are still acting pretty young at that age, but they may be starting to slow down a bit. And their faces can start to become white even earlier than that.
As dogs get older, they may develop more issues that we tend to think of as old dog health problems.
That's why vets encourage dogs to be checked out twice a year instead of just annually, after they reach that eight-year milestone.
They want to catch older dog problems before they become critical. Keeping your senior dog healthy is your vet's priority.
Just as with people, dogs can develop diabetes later in life, especially if they've put on too much weight.
They may ache with arthritis, and become hard of hearing and visually impaired, to varying degrees.
We'll look at ways to help your canine companion cope with his age-related disabilities.
Old dogs are just like elderly people when it comes to their health. A common complaint is that if it's still working--it hurts!
The "innards" don't seem to work as well, either, so your dog ends up with more bouts of diarrhea, vomiting or stomachaches.
Gradually switching to a top quality senior adult dog food can help, along with eliminating those yummy table scraps he loves so much (but just can't handle any more).
If he becomes incontinent, there are definitely solutions available, even for fecal incontinence.
A big part of your older dog's health involves what's on the outside, the part that you can keep track of at home with a regular grooming routine.
Frequent brushings are a good way to check for the most common older dog problems--lumps and bumps that shouldn't be there.
You might also find sores that should be taken care of quickly.
But his skin is more sensitive now than when he was younger, so brush gently.
Don't use as much pressure when you run a bristle brush through his lovely golden coat, and gently untangle any mats you come across.
While you're gently brushing your Golden, you're also massaging those tired, stiff old muscles.
You can do a little extra hands-on massaging, too, to get an extra smile from your furry friend. It feels so good!
Senior dog pet care also includes bathing your Golden oldie, but only when he really needs it, and then be very gentle with him.
If he can't climb into a regular bathtub any more, it's worth the expense of taking him to a grooming facility where he doesn't have to do any climbing in order to get cleaned up.
Many groomers use a special dog bathing tub or shower facility that a dog can walk right into.
Your Golden oldie has given you many years of love and loyalty.
It's your turn to say "Thank you" by addressing his older dog problems, and giving him the very best possible care.
It's the least we can do, right?
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Proper attention to the health of a dog helps bring out the best in any four-footed friend.
Here are the most common vaccinations for dogs: Canine Distemper Canine Hepatitis Canine Parainfluenza Canine Parvovirus Kennel Cough Rabies
Some canine health issues can best be lumped together by systems of the body or locations in the body. These include: Digestive problems Ear problems Eye problems--cataracts and PRA Heart problems Musculoskeletal problems (muscles and bones) Nervous system problems Respiratory problems Teeth, gums and mouth problems Reproductive system Urinary system problems