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I was sent a useful checklist the other day by a fellow dog lover, which covers a few things that you should be aware of as your dog gets older.
Aging is a natural process but it’s not something we like to talk about much. If your dog is getting long in the tooth, take a look at the tips below to help keep him in tip top condition during his golden years…
Tips For Grooming an Older Dog
As your dog gets older, his health problems increase. He needs more attention and time from you and you need to be more active. You need to notice any physical changes happening to your dog, like changes in his skin, weight, et al. Your pet needs to be kept clean and comfortable and taken for regular checkups. It needs all the time you can afford. Here are a few important things that need to be taken care of –
- Skin and coat changes – The common changes are flaky and dry skin for some and oily for others. Healthy skin might show dander, which is like dandruff for pets. These changes mean that your pet is not being groomed properly. For this, you need to take medical help, use medicated shampoos and try and keep your pet as clean as possible. Brushing and bathing will have to be increased in frequency. Sometimes, the skin becomes thin and fragile and tears easily due to hormonal changes. It is also associated with problems of the endocrine system. Skin might even start darkening or lightening randomly and may be prone to blackheads. Any such changes should always be taken care of because they may lead to something bad for the pet.
- Lumps under the skin – You might notice some lumps on the skin of your pet as your pet ages. Some of these lumps are harmless and some may be hazardous like tumors. Some lumps start bleeding and every such skin change must be taken care of by the vet. Pressure sores create quite a nuisance for the pet. As your pet ages and loses his muscle mass, these sores start appearing. They appear because of lack of cushion between bone and surfaces. It might appear to be harmless at first but may take the form of a Hygroma. Hygromas occur at the elbow region and can become huge and painful. Hair growth on the inside can worsen the situation and make it infected. Hip joints and knees also get a lot of pressure sores. Buy your dog some padded surfaces from an online dog supplies store. Make sure they are comfortable and make up for the lack of their protective muscle.
- Nails – Pets hate nail trimmings but with age, this becomes pretty important. This is because if the nails are not taken care of, they can lead to ingrowths and infections in the nail bed. Walking may become difficult and some pets even develop pads which becomes very uncomfortable and painful for the pet. So, you must trim nails of your pets every few weeks.
- Other grooming aids – It is very important to get the right grooming things. Wide toothed brushes with plastic teeth are comfortable to the pet. Wire brushes get the excess dander off the pet and keep him clean. There are a variety of waterless shampoos for pets who don’t like bathing. Remember to keep the hair clipped around the rear, for pets that have long hair.
A handy little checklist I think you’ll agree. Thanks go out to Brenda for sharing them.
