Keeping Your Senior Dog Healthy
Two special senior dogs who have lived a very active life past 15 years are Kate (owned by Eve Ross) and Kaffee (who Cynde lost in March 2020). Both have had age related challenges but continued to love walks in Northern Arizona.
DID YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A DOG AGES 5-7 THAT THEY MAY FALL INTO THE RANGE OF BEING CALLED A SENIOR? While “senior” can describe an aging pet, the number of years a pet is considered to be “senior” varies. For example, large dogs will typically age faster than smaller dogs. “For a dog between 20-40 pounds, these guidelines are more effective, but it’s not uncommon to see a geriatric Great Dane at age 7 or a Chihuahua in [his] 20s,” However, in most cases a dog is considered senior between the ages of 5-10.
While a dog may fall into this age range, they more than likeLy are still active and healthy. However, as they advance in years they tend to have health related issues and slow down in their activity.
“Though many old guidelines talk about seven dog years being equal to one human year, the size of the dog really depends on the extent to which you can follow that rule,” says Dr. Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC, and spokesperson for the International Veterinary Senior Care Society.
Some time ago I saw someone post somewhere that their dog was now older so they would be feeding the cheapest kibble. This made me very sad to hear that this individual and perhaps many like her did not understand that senior dogs need more and not less.
Kaffee is now 14 1/2 years old and still very happy and quite active for his advanced years. He goes on walks including short hour long hikes in Flagstaff with his other senior friend, Kate and enjoys dog sports and the balance discs in our doggie gym. Read more about how Kaffee has stayed, fit, healthy and happy all these years on The Two Cool Border Collies web site:
KEEPING SENOR DOGS HEALTHY AND FIT...
Balance discs and exercises to strengthen their hind legs and continue to strengthen their core are an excellent way to help them say more active and fit for their age.
While a dog may fall into this age range, they more than likeLy are still active and healthy. However, as they advance in years they tend to have health related issues and slow down in their activity.
“Though many old guidelines talk about seven dog years being equal to one human year, the size of the dog really depends on the extent to which you can follow that rule,” says Dr. Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC, and spokesperson for the International Veterinary Senior Care Society.
Some time ago I saw someone post somewhere that their dog was now older so they would be feeding the cheapest kibble. This made me very sad to hear that this individual and perhaps many like her did not understand that senior dogs need more and not less.
Kaffee is now 14 1/2 years old and still very happy and quite active for his advanced years. He goes on walks including short hour long hikes in Flagstaff with his other senior friend, Kate and enjoys dog sports and the balance discs in our doggie gym. Read more about how Kaffee has stayed, fit, healthy and happy all these years on The Two Cool Border Collies web site:
KEEPING SENOR DOGS HEALTHY AND FIT...
Balance discs and exercises to strengthen their hind legs and continue to strengthen their core are an excellent way to help them say more active and fit for their age.
Vestibular Disease in Old Dogs...
Read this Before you Euthanize your Dog...
A few days before Christmas 2019 I took my almost 15 year old senior dog for his daily walk. Today was special since once again we could walk on the very short trail at our house. Kaffee seemed to enjoy this short walk since he can go at his own pace, sniff, sniff, sniff and then trot up to me for a treat. After our 20 minute walk we went back to my house and into my office. About an hour later Kaffee tried to get up and was very unsteady on his feet, standing in an unusually wide stance for balance and had little coordination. Since this obviously was very scary for him he kept trying to fall me around the house and would not lie down or settle.
Symptoms had such a sudden onset that we feared it could be a stroke or perhaps worse. After 24 hours of this unbalanced behavior, my thoughts went to euthanasia until I talked with my friend who also had an older dog who had experienced these same scary symptoms. She told me her breeder had told her about vestibular disease that is common in older dogs. We researched vestibular treatment for dogs and found that Dramamine was used to help with the vertigo. We then took Kaffee to our vet who confirmed the diagnosis and told us that it often takes several weeks for dogs to improve. We waited and Kaffee did improve.. but never to his vesicular activities.
Some dogs do seem to recover and do very well; others not so well. Kaffee was somewhere in the middle... But at least we were given several more months to enjoy this special boy. Read about vestibular...
Vestibular Disease in Old Dogs
by Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell
Canine idiopathic vestibular disease, which is also sometimes called “old dog disease” or “old rolling dog syndrome,” can be very scary for pet parents. To the untrained eye, the symptoms may mimic serious, life threatening conditions such as stroke or a brain tumor.
The good news is that this condition, which is described by veterinarians as fairly common, typically disappears in a matter of days.
VCA Animal Hospitals define vestibular disease as a sudden, non-progressive disturbance of balance.
“Idiopathic refers to the fact that veterinarians can’t identify the source of the balance issue,” said Dr. Duffy Jones, DVM, a veterinarian with Peachtree Hills Animal Hospitals of Atlanta in Georgia. “There are a lot of theories such as inflammation, but as with some humans who suffer from vertigo, we really don’t know the cause.”
Dr. Keith Niesenbaum, DVM, a veterinarian with Crawford Dog and Cat Hospital in Garden City Park, New York, and who has been practicing for 32 years, said that idiopathic vestibular disease is more common in older dogs and there really isn’t a breed that is immune.
“Anecdotally, I’ve seen it more in large breed dogs, but it can also happen with small breeds as well,” Niesenbaum said.
Symptoms of Idiopathic Vestibular Disease Deb Hipp of Kansas City, Missouri, was preparing to go out of town for a few days when her 17-year-old dog, Toby, suddenly had more trouble than normal getting up.
“He has some mobility issues, so I thought he was just tired, so I waited another ten minutes and tried to get him up,” Hipp said. “On the second attempt, he was having trouble placing his paws to stand and I immediately took him to the emergency vet.”
Hipp thought Toby might have had a stroke, but the veterinarian made a note of Toby’s eyes, which were darting back and forth. After some blood tests and a more thorough exam, he diagnosed idiopathic vestibular disease. By that time, in addition to not being able to stand and the darting eyes, Toby also displayed other symptoms of the disease, which include:
Medical Treatment for Idiopathic Vestibular DiseaseJones said it is important to get your dog to its veterinarian as soon as you see any of the signs, as the symptoms are similar to that of other more serious conditions, such as an inner ear infection, stroke, brain tumor, or seizure.
Jones said idiopathic vestibular disease is confirmed by a veterinarian upon a complete physical examination, such as checking the eye movement, which would be rolling in cases of a stroke, and lifting the paw and flipping it over to see if the dog puts his paw back. “If the dog can flip his paw over, it typically isn’t a stroke,” said Jones.
Niesenbaum said that once the condition is diagnosed, the dog is typically treated at home unless the dog is vomiting and is at risk of dehydration, at which point he will hospitalize the dog so it can be put on IV fluids.
“If the dog goes home, we will typically prescribe an anti-nausea medication and something to help with dizziness,” Niesenbaum said.
Home Treatment for Idiopathic Vestibular DiseaseJones said that dogs can eat, but due to the nausea, they may not want to eat. He added that it is important to watch for hydration issues. Other concerns include keeping the dog in a confined area, and not allowing them to climb stairs or be on the furniture.
“The dog will really be off balance and if there are stairs or he gets on the furniture, he may fall and break bones,” said Jones.
Another consideration, especially if it is a large dog, is getting the dog outside to go to the bathroom. This was a big concern for Hipp, whose dog, Toby, weighs 60 pounds.
“Toby had mobility issues, so I had bought a special harness to help him up,” said Hipp. Still, when Toby was in the first days of idiopathic vestibular disease, he was dead weight, not being able to stand or walk at all.
After conferring with her veterinarian, Hipp was advised to hospitalize Toby.
“I was leaving town and didn’t want to leave him with the pet sitter. Although we were convinced Toby would recover, I didn’t want her to have to pick him up and take him outside,” said Hipp.
Niesenbaum said if you don’t have a harness, you can use a towel as sling to help your dog stand.
The good news is that like most dogs with this condition, Toby completely recovered within a matter of days and now even goes on his daily short walk. “It can sometimes take a couple of weeks, but if they’re not improving after 72 hours, we know it could be something more serious,” said Jones.
Some dogs do not recover completely from the head tilt. Even if your dog has appeared to have completely recovered, it’s important for the dog’s veterinarian to see the dog again just to be sure.
“I don’t get to give a lot of good news to owners of geriatric dogs when they have serious conditions, but this really is the ‘good news’ condition in that most dogs will survive and recover completely,” Jones said.
This article was verified for accuracy by Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM.
Related"Old Dog" Vestibular Disease
Head Tilt, Disorientation in Dogs
Loss of Balance (Unbalanced Gait) in Dogs
Don't Kill Old Rolling Dogs
Symptoms had such a sudden onset that we feared it could be a stroke or perhaps worse. After 24 hours of this unbalanced behavior, my thoughts went to euthanasia until I talked with my friend who also had an older dog who had experienced these same scary symptoms. She told me her breeder had told her about vestibular disease that is common in older dogs. We researched vestibular treatment for dogs and found that Dramamine was used to help with the vertigo. We then took Kaffee to our vet who confirmed the diagnosis and told us that it often takes several weeks for dogs to improve. We waited and Kaffee did improve.. but never to his vesicular activities.
Some dogs do seem to recover and do very well; others not so well. Kaffee was somewhere in the middle... But at least we were given several more months to enjoy this special boy. Read about vestibular...
Vestibular Disease in Old Dogs
by Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell
Canine idiopathic vestibular disease, which is also sometimes called “old dog disease” or “old rolling dog syndrome,” can be very scary for pet parents. To the untrained eye, the symptoms may mimic serious, life threatening conditions such as stroke or a brain tumor.
The good news is that this condition, which is described by veterinarians as fairly common, typically disappears in a matter of days.
VCA Animal Hospitals define vestibular disease as a sudden, non-progressive disturbance of balance.
“Idiopathic refers to the fact that veterinarians can’t identify the source of the balance issue,” said Dr. Duffy Jones, DVM, a veterinarian with Peachtree Hills Animal Hospitals of Atlanta in Georgia. “There are a lot of theories such as inflammation, but as with some humans who suffer from vertigo, we really don’t know the cause.”
Dr. Keith Niesenbaum, DVM, a veterinarian with Crawford Dog and Cat Hospital in Garden City Park, New York, and who has been practicing for 32 years, said that idiopathic vestibular disease is more common in older dogs and there really isn’t a breed that is immune.
“Anecdotally, I’ve seen it more in large breed dogs, but it can also happen with small breeds as well,” Niesenbaum said.
Symptoms of Idiopathic Vestibular Disease Deb Hipp of Kansas City, Missouri, was preparing to go out of town for a few days when her 17-year-old dog, Toby, suddenly had more trouble than normal getting up.
“He has some mobility issues, so I thought he was just tired, so I waited another ten minutes and tried to get him up,” Hipp said. “On the second attempt, he was having trouble placing his paws to stand and I immediately took him to the emergency vet.”
Hipp thought Toby might have had a stroke, but the veterinarian made a note of Toby’s eyes, which were darting back and forth. After some blood tests and a more thorough exam, he diagnosed idiopathic vestibular disease. By that time, in addition to not being able to stand and the darting eyes, Toby also displayed other symptoms of the disease, which include:
- Head tilt, which may be slight to extreme
- Acting dizzy and falling down, which may remind people of someone who is drunk
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Dogs may also turn in circles or roll
Medical Treatment for Idiopathic Vestibular DiseaseJones said it is important to get your dog to its veterinarian as soon as you see any of the signs, as the symptoms are similar to that of other more serious conditions, such as an inner ear infection, stroke, brain tumor, or seizure.
Jones said idiopathic vestibular disease is confirmed by a veterinarian upon a complete physical examination, such as checking the eye movement, which would be rolling in cases of a stroke, and lifting the paw and flipping it over to see if the dog puts his paw back. “If the dog can flip his paw over, it typically isn’t a stroke,” said Jones.
Niesenbaum said that once the condition is diagnosed, the dog is typically treated at home unless the dog is vomiting and is at risk of dehydration, at which point he will hospitalize the dog so it can be put on IV fluids.
“If the dog goes home, we will typically prescribe an anti-nausea medication and something to help with dizziness,” Niesenbaum said.
Home Treatment for Idiopathic Vestibular DiseaseJones said that dogs can eat, but due to the nausea, they may not want to eat. He added that it is important to watch for hydration issues. Other concerns include keeping the dog in a confined area, and not allowing them to climb stairs or be on the furniture.
“The dog will really be off balance and if there are stairs or he gets on the furniture, he may fall and break bones,” said Jones.
Another consideration, especially if it is a large dog, is getting the dog outside to go to the bathroom. This was a big concern for Hipp, whose dog, Toby, weighs 60 pounds.
“Toby had mobility issues, so I had bought a special harness to help him up,” said Hipp. Still, when Toby was in the first days of idiopathic vestibular disease, he was dead weight, not being able to stand or walk at all.
After conferring with her veterinarian, Hipp was advised to hospitalize Toby.
“I was leaving town and didn’t want to leave him with the pet sitter. Although we were convinced Toby would recover, I didn’t want her to have to pick him up and take him outside,” said Hipp.
Niesenbaum said if you don’t have a harness, you can use a towel as sling to help your dog stand.
The good news is that like most dogs with this condition, Toby completely recovered within a matter of days and now even goes on his daily short walk. “It can sometimes take a couple of weeks, but if they’re not improving after 72 hours, we know it could be something more serious,” said Jones.
Some dogs do not recover completely from the head tilt. Even if your dog has appeared to have completely recovered, it’s important for the dog’s veterinarian to see the dog again just to be sure.
“I don’t get to give a lot of good news to owners of geriatric dogs when they have serious conditions, but this really is the ‘good news’ condition in that most dogs will survive and recover completely,” Jones said.
This article was verified for accuracy by Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM.
Related"Old Dog" Vestibular Disease
Head Tilt, Disorientation in Dogs
Loss of Balance (Unbalanced Gait) in Dogs
Don't Kill Old Rolling Dogs