Caring For an Older Dog
Sometimes caring for an older dog can be difficult and stressful. But do not lose heart. There are things you can do to help you and your dog enjoy the golden years.
The first problem I have come up against with Gallop (our 11-year-old, Husky/Border Collie) is her not desiring to eat. I believe this is because she can no longer smell her food so, it is not desirable anymore. First off, I started sitting with her and feeding her by hand. That seemed to help her sometimes but, other times, Gallop still wouldn’t eat. I have occasionally let her skip a meal. Then at the next meal, I make it irresistible by adding chicken or beef broth, peanut butter, green beans, pumpkin, and chicken. I would try not to let her refuse to eat plain kibble and then go jazz it up because I didn’t want to teach her to refuse traditional food. So, be careful with taking food back and serving something better the second time around. If you think your dog isn’t going to be interested in his/her food for a particular meal, don’t be afraid to offer him/her a special dinner right off the bat.
A second difficulty that I have had with Gallop is trying to keep up with her dental hygiene. I have already posted about this struggle in a different post with a few ways you can easily address this problem. Here is a link to that post: Doggie Dental Defense
Another problem that is common among elderly dogs is constipation and accidents. Dogs that struggle with constipation can be helped by simply enjoying some pumpkin purée with their kibble. Pumpkin purée is a fiber and nutrients packed food. If you add about 2-4 TBLS to your dog’s kibble, it can help prevent diarrhea and constipation. If your dog doesn’t like pumpkin, you can also try canned green beans. They also have lots of fiber which will also address the problem.
These are a few problems that I have encountered as Gallop has gotten older. All of them can be very concerning and can leave you feeling helpless. But hopefully, these tricks that I have shared will help you assess your dog’s health and give you an option to try before heading to the vet. I know discovering these tricks has helped me to become less anxious about Gallop’s health. Research showed me that these things are not uncommon for older dogs to face. With proper care, they can be manageable. But if you continue to encounter these problems, go to the vet and get his/her opinion. Tell him what you have tried to address the issue, this can help him discover if there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
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