A senior dog, which on average is one that is over seven years old, can face the last stretch of its life with the best guarantees of health and well-being thanks to the direct collaboration between the human with whom it lives and the health professional who cares for them. guide and supervise.
Old age should not be valued as a period that must always be accompanied by problems and illnesses; a senior dog will be more vulnerable to certain situations due to the passage of time, but these situations can be avoided or controlled in its first presentations thanks to the proper performance of the rationals with which it lives.
For this reason, it is essential to know what the main causes of mortality in senior dogs are in order to act preventively and effectively to avoid or delay them, and the main causes of death in senior dogs and cats are:
- Cancer
- Kidney failure
- heart failure
And in the face of these causes we must always keep in mind the following points:
- A specific and high quality food for senior animals provides health, increasing and improving life expectancies.
- An annual geriatric review to assess and control the three main causes of death discussed will be one of the main pillars of prevention.
- The appropriate exercise for the animal and its individual circumstances provides great help globally, and specifically for cardiovascular problems.
The feeding of senior dogs should be managed with the advice of professionals; In order for an elderly animal to receive the appropriate nutritional intake for its individual characteristics, we must carry out a prior evaluation of the animal’s physical and health status; physiological changes associated with old age and diseases, if any, will require special attention (therapeutic diets)
In reference to the nutrients of the food of a senior animal, they must meet the following conditions:
- Water : senior dogs have a greater tendency to dehydration (medicines, kidney disorders…) so access to fresh, clean water in sufficient quantity must be ensured.
- Energy : aging is associated with a reduction in muscle mass, an increase in subcutaneous fat and a possible decrease in body temperature; these animals are usually less active. Therefore, the energy needs are variable and will be set depending on the general condition and weight of the animal.
- Phosphorus and Calcium : Kidney disease usually affects up to 25% of senior dogs; for this reason it is important that the food offered does not provide an excess of phosphorus; It has been found that controlling the intake of this mineral in the diet of senior dogs delays the progression and severity of kidney disease.
- Proteins : in the case of proteins there is some discrepancy among researchers, but what they seem to agree on is that a senior dog should take the same amount of protein as in the adult state, but with higher quality proteins (biological value )
- Fat : low fat intake helps prevent obesity… but in certain senior animals that tend to lose weight, a higher proportion of fat in the feed facilitates higher energy intake and improves palatability and protein utilization . The fat levels of the food must satisfy the energy need required to achieve the ideal weight and body condition.
- Fiber : senior dogs often have constipation problems, so increasing fiber in the diet is fully justified; but fiber not only promotes correct intestinal activity… the increase in fiber in the diet of older animals helps control the tendency to obesity and reduces glycemic problems in diabetic animals.
- Food texture : one of the great problems of older animals is dental disease; the food eaten can also help reduce and prevent these types of problems; A suitable hardness, structure and composition of the food will be essential to provide correct oral health to elderly dogs.
Being clear about the issue of feeding, it is time to be clear about the problems that appear in this vital phase and that can put the animal at risk for kidney and/or cardiovascular problems:
- Urinary system : Decline or failure of kidney function begins (average) at age seven; this problem is the second cause of non-accidental death in our dogs.
The kidneys of senior dogs are smaller and more “sensitive” than those of young and adult animals; This is usually due to a reduction in renal blood flow, difficulty in concentrating urine…
To avoid kidney failure problems, the intake (excess) of phosphorus, protein and sodium chloride should be properly managed. - Cardiovascular System : Cardiovascular disease is common in geriatric animals and usually produces symptoms; Nearly a quarter of canine heart disease occurs between the ages of 9 and 12, and a third occurs in animals 13 years and older.
Cases of hypertension in senior dogs usually occur secondary to chronic kidney disease and endocrinopathies.
And finally, so that we can properly assess the importance of walks and exercise appropriate to the characteristics of the animal, this is what happens in the musculoskeletal system of senior animals:
- Musculoskeletal system : the loss of muscle mass and tone, bone alterations (predisposition to fractures) and injuries to the intervertebral discs, among other alterations, are usually the cause of consultation by owners after observing lameness in their dog, stiffness in the extremities…
Degenerative joint disease is the most common in older dogs; in these cases it is very important to prevent or control obesity.
