Everyone with pets knows that if you are lucky your pet will get old whilst still with you, and you will end up caring for a geriatric pet. This has its pros and cons – you get more time with your pet, but ageing can be hard to witness in our faithful friends. I think that in many ways our pets become more and more precious to us the older they get, as not only have they been through more with us, but we know our time together is getting closer to its end. Once an illness, or age-related decline occurs, this feeling becomes even stronger and all we really want is for all their remaining time with us to be as happy as possible.
Most older pets, like older people, are left to age as nature decides for them, with maybe some drugs added in to help with major disease as it begins to negatively affect them on a day-to-day basis. It doesn’t necessarily need to be this way, as there are many ways that general management and holistic medicine can support the ageing process to make it as painless and enjoyable as possible, for both pets and owners. Geriatric patients are some of my favourite to manage as it is so rewarding.
General management
There are a few simple things you can do about your house and in your lives to help support your ageing pet. You may know, or think of, many others depending on your individual pets’ needs, but here are a few to get you started:
- Non-Slip Runner Rugs – These are extremely useful in arthritis cases, or those with weak hind limbs that struggle on slippery or smooth floors. Standing up can be a bit of a struggle for the oldies so help them out a little.
- Multiple Shorter Walks – These are great for arthritic dogs, to keep them mobile, but not overdo it. Also, those with heart or lung disease, or who just get tired quicker and easier than younger dogs. You may want to slow your walking pace too, so they get all the benefits of sniffing and mental stimulation for a similar time, but a shorter distance so they can manage better.
- A Good Harness – Even if your dog never wore a harness before, they can be very useful in their older years. Depending on the harness, they offer varying levels of support all along the body in case you need to help your dog stand up, climb up a steep slope or out of a pond or stream, for example. They also spread the pressure across the body if they pull on the lead at all, minimising pressure on the throat and neck. This helps in spondylosis or other neck and back problems, as well as ensuring normal breathing without stress or crushing of the windpipe. Look for one with a Y-shaped front piece ideally, so it doesn’t cut across the shoulders.
- Mental Stimulation – The older a dog gets, often the shorter a walk they can cope with. This means they end up sitting around all day resting and sleeping. Although this is fine, it can lead to a quicker decline in brain function due to a lack of mental stimulation. Playing little games with them, based on scents or treats can be a great way to stimulate the mind without tiring them out – think of it like a dog crossword or sudoku, where they have to work it out.
- Care on Warm Days/in Warm Rooms – Obviously care is required with all dogs on warm days, to ensure enough water is available and walks are taken early or late when its cooler. Older dogs need extra thought as sometimes, especially with heart disease, even lying in a slightly warm room is too much. They may need fans or cool mats or similar help them cope.
- Comfy Padded Beds – As pets age, they like to sleep more, and so pressure sores can develop, particularly over bony areas like the elbows. This can be helped by making sure pets have thickly padded beds or places to rest in various locations over the house. If they like the floor, it may be that they prefer the cool, so try to position a bed near a draft or in a cooler area of the house.
- Careful Handling – Like older people, older pets need a gentler approach to being handled. They may struggle to stand on 3 legs whilst you clean or dry one paw at a time, especially if you try to extend or flex the limb too much. Sometimes stroking them over painful joints, their spine or tense muscles is uncomfortable. It’s important to emphasise this to children, as a kind beloved pet could snap if they were suddenly in pain.
- Regular Checks – Ageing pets are more prone to developing issues, so regular checks by yourself and your vet will help pick up any problems promptly. You can feel for lumps and bumps, painful areas, tension in muscles and changes in body condition. Your vet can check for these issues, as well as monitoring their heart, lungs, eyes and abdomen. In entire bitches and dogs, the mammary glands and testicles are important spots to keep an eye on.
- Let Them Out Frequently – Older pets can have weaker sphincters, and with brain decline they can forget their usual toilet routines. Letting them out regularly will help prevent accidents, which can be stressful for pets as well as owners!
Diet
As some pets age, their digestion becomes slightly less effective than it was in their youth. They can also become a bit fussier, sometimes due to underlying age-related disease. This means you may need to adjust their diet or feeding regime slightly.
If feeding raw food, then this is great for a lot of disease and ageing processes. It has no extra carbs, which tend to ‘feed’ inflammation, and it is all good quality protein: Meat and fish, not derivatives or vegetable proteins. It is important to feed high quality protein and not reduce the protein levels too much as this can exacerbate muscle wastage in older patients.
Tripe is a great regular addition if you feed raw, as it is easily digestible. Joint supplements and omega 3 oils are important for arthritis but should always be added as extras at feeding time, as heat processing or freezing makes them less effective. Omega 3s, or brain if you’re feeling brave, are great for maintaining brain function.
The liver and kidneys commonly develop an age-related functional decline, either causing symptoms or not. If you have no symptoms, the following changes will not harm your pet so might be worthwhile regardless. Feed smaller meals more frequently, so 2-3 times daily (or even 4 if diagnosed with dysfunction), rather than 1-2 times. This gives the liver and kidneys less to deal with at once if they are struggling and can be easier on the digestion too.
Occasionally an older dog might start to develop constipation secondary to movement or nerve issues. If this happens then reducing the bone content of their food can help. Others might go off their food, for various reasons. If this happens you can try very slightly warming it in a water bath or splashing some hot water on top to bring up some aroma (do NOT cook the raw food).
Pain relief
If your pet gets old, then they will inevitably suffer from some level of arthritic pain or discomfort before the end. There are various ways to help with this including supplements, herbal medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture and conventional drugs. My preference is to avoid conventional drugs until they’re really needed, or to use them strategically as needed, because they are known to have long term side effects on other organs that struggle with age, such as the liver and kidneys. The level of support your pet needs is very individual so it is best to consult with a holistic vet about the best option for you and your pet.
Herbal support of ageing
This is one of my favourite ways of using herbal medicine – helping geriatric patients. There is so much you can do to support older patients, and in so many different ways. The function of all organs declines with age, whether noticeably or not. Herbal medicine can offer support to encourage normal function of the liver, kidneys, heart and circulation, lungs, brain and nervous system and immune system, as well as giving patients a general boost in vitality. All of this contributes to just generally feeling better in themselves, as well as helping to relieve the symptoms of any disease they may be suffering.
You can buy lots of different herb mixes online, but usually you have to choose a specific aspect of your pet to treat or support. This is where seeing a veterinary herbalist is beneficial – they can make up a bespoke herbal mixture exactly suited to your individual pet and their needs. To find a veterinary herbalist near you look up the British Association of Veterinary Herbalists (BAVH).
Sight and hearing
Both decline with age, sometimes one, sometimes the other, sometimes both. Often at varying speeds too.
As their sight begins to go it can be useful to incorporate high pitched or loud sounds into your interactions, as well as spoken commands – whistles or clapping can be great. This gets your pets attention and can often be heard even once their hearing starts to decline as well. Keeping commands simple, with a single word, also helps them to be clear what you’re asking, even if they can’t see you. If their hearing is still in good order but their sight has gone quickly, for example with cataracts, then having a small bell on your lead or person whilst walking makes it easier for your pet to keep track of where you are. Regular communication with them also helps, just a word here or there.
As your pet ages, or even from the very beginning in preparation, try to incorporate movements and visual gestures with any command you teach. This way if their hearing starts to fail, they can still follow your signals, and they are then in the habit of looking at you to receive guidance.
Be sure to keep an eye on your older pet when out walking, especially in busy areas, as they can easily end up following the wrong owner! This can be scary for them when they realise you have lost them, and vice versa for you. If it is very busy and there are lots of dogs then keeping them on a lead might be best, or just avoiding busy areas at busy times if your pet finds it too stressful.
Incontinence
For many owners this is a dreaded one, and it is unfortunately not restricted to the ageing dog population, although it is more common amongst them. Many younger bitches can develop urinary incontinence after spaying, although most bitches develop it in middle or older age. It is related to the loss of the oestrogen leading to, what vets refer to as, Urinary Sphincter Mechanism Incompetence. In other words, a weak urinary sphincter! This type of incontinence can respond well to oestrogen supplementation if severe, but if mild or caught early, good results can be found by treating it with homeopathy and/or herbs. If the condition progresses, there are conventional drug options available to help keep the sphincter tight and remove distress all round.
The most common first sign of incontinence is when owners notice a small wet patch where the dog has been lying. Over time this can develop into a whole puddle of urine if left untreated. When they are lying down, they are most relaxed, hence why the sphincter can also overly relax itself. Affected animals will commonly lick their vulva (or penis in male dogs, yes, they can become incontinent too!) more than normal, and may develop inflammation there, especially if a long-coated breed where the urine can wet the fur and irritate the underlying skin. Some incontinent dogs will also dribble a little urine either when they need to go to the toilet, or after they have finished. Incontinence is less common in male dogs, and is more likely to be caused by disease, such as of the prostate or bladder.
Some dogs find being incontinent very distressing, as they know they are not supposed to urinate in the house. So, however frustrating it might sometimes seem to you, be sure never to tell them off, as they can literally do nothing to stop it themselves. Remember you can always get some puppy pads/incontinence pads or use old towels on their bedding to minimise clean up and washing of whole beds. Dogs that like to keep themselves very clean may appreciate regular trimming of the fur around their backend, and regular washing if need be.
Although poor action of the urinary sphincter is the most common cause of incontinence in older dogs you should always get a urine sample performed on any new case, alongside blood tests if recommended, as there are other possible causes. These include urinary stones or crystals, urinary tract infections, bladder tumours, spinal cord disease, and overflow incontinence (where increased drinking leads to excess urine, such as with Cushing’s disease, Diabetes and kidney issues).
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CCDS)
Often referred to as ‘Doggy Dementia’, this syndrome is becoming increasingly common in our ageing pet populations. Symptoms are extremely variable and can include:
- Disorientation, including standing and staring, not recognising food/drink or remembering where it is, getting ‘stuck’ behind furniture or in corners, etc.
- Loss of toilet training, where they may urinate or defaecate in the house, or go outside to toilet but forget to do so and come back into the house then go.
- Altered interactions with humans and/or other animals. So friendly dogs might become cranky, aggressive, or disinterested in interacting with people or other animals (or occasionally the opposite, where they forget they hate other dogs!), anxiety levels may begin to increase, and many dogs will be less enthusiastic when greeting visitors or returning family members
- Sleep/Wake cycle disturbances, such as sleeping all day and being awake at night; inability to fully settle and sleep, or does so at random times rather than overnight; disturbed sleep overnight, getting up numerous times before settling again
- Repetitive or restless movements and/or sounds. These include: restlessness with aimless wandering or pacing back and forth, and whining or barking more than usual or at nothing
- Decreased activity levels and less interest in life generally, like they are present, but not really engaging
This can be a particularly distressing condition for the owners of older dogs, as it can be as if they have a different dog suddenly. It also truly brings home that your older pet is getting old, which is a harsh truth we all must get our heads around if we’re lucky enough to have our dogs into their geriatric years.
Luckily, this is a condition that I have seen amazing results with, when using herbs and homeopathy to manage patients. Herbs can work in various ways to help improve the symptoms of cognitive decline, including calming the patient and helping them to relax, improving blood flow to the brain, and decreasing their responses to stress. Some conventional vets also stock various supplements that can help slow this decline and manage the symptoms.
As a pet owner, it’s important to try to be there for your pet through this decline as it can be scary for them. Try to keep the house calm and quiet to minimise stress; try to maintain a good routine as this can help many dogs; if they keep getting stuck somewhere or pace endlessly to exhaustion then shut a few doors to restrict them to a few ‘safe’ rooms; allow them space when they need it but offer attention and affection when they need that too. And again, however frustrating it might be at times, try not to get annoyed with your pet as they cannot help themselves.
Vestibular Syndrome
I’m doing all the horrible ones in this article, but they are common so should be discussed. This is probably the most distressing of all the issues we see in our old pets. The majority of owners, especially those who have never seen it before, think that it is the end of the road for their dog when it suffers a vestibular episode, and they take their dog to the vets assuming it must be time to say goodbye. I won’t lie, sometimes the 1st vestibular episode is the beginning of the end, but it isn’t always!
Vestibular syndrome is not fully understood, but it can be caused by abnormalities in the brain or the middle ear. It presents like a stroke, and in dogs, without an MRI, it cannot be easily distinguished from a stroke (a bleed in the brain). Suffering dogs will suddenly be found unable to move/stand, trembling, disorientated, partially or fully non-responsive, eyes flickering from side to side (nystagmus), head tilted to one side, and they may vomit.
Episodes vary in length and severity and once they are out of the acute episode, they can be ataxic (have a drunken unstable gait), still have a head tilt or flickering eyes, be nauseous and/or inappetant (especially if nystagmus remains), seem very disorientated and not fully with it.
If you find your pet in this state then make sure they cannot hurt themselves, and stay with them talking calmly and stroking them, if they like that usually. I would not recommend immediately taking them to the vets but wait until the worst of it passes before trying to move them. A vet check is always worthwhile in case there are signs it could be something more sinister causing the problem, such as brain tumour, or actual stroke. Most cases will improve and return to normal, or close to normal within 24-48hrs, but some can take longer. If the nystagmus remains for more than 48hrs then I have generally found this to be a poor sign.
Once a dog has had one episode, it does not necessarily mean they will have any others, especially if you start supportive care with herbs and/or homeopathy. However, sometimes more episodes follow, but the timing between them is very unpredictable. Some dogs will retain their head tilt as a new permanent feature, but the seem to quickly adapt to their wonky view of the world! Severe cases can also be treated with a conventional drug that improves brain circulation and can work wonders, either in a short course, or longer term.
Things to watch out for…
There are some key symptoms in older dogs that could point towards something more sinister than plain ageing going on:
- Vomiting or Diarrhoea: In a young dog this is usually a dietary indiscretion, or an infection they may have picked up, although it can obviously have other causes. In older animals, especially if happening with increasing frequency, it could be a sign of liver or kidney disease, or cancer in the stomach or intestines.
- Inappetance, or Anorexia: As above this can be a sign of liver or kidney disease, or of cancer anywhere in the body. If the appetite has only decreased a little then this could be related to ageing generally, but bloods are a must-have to work out the cause.
- Defaecation issues: This could include loss of continence, a change in the shape of the stool, difficulty or painful passing stools, constipation or blood in the stool. Depending on the change you could be seeing a sign of a gastrointestinal cancer (blood, shape change, difficulty), a prostate issue (shape, difficulty), kidney disease (constipation) or a spinal/nerve problem (faecal incontinence, difficulty passing stool, constipation).
- Urination issues: As well as urinary incontinence as discussed above, you can see a poor or intermittent stream of urine, straining to pass urine, or blood in the urine. These can be signs of a tumour in the bladder or genito-urinary tract, or a prostate problem in male dogs.
- Polyuria and Polydipsia (drinking and weeing lots): This can have many causes but most commonly in older animals it could be due to kidney disease, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, or rarely a brain tumour.
- Coat or skin changes: Sometimes a decline in the skin or coat of an old animal is the 1st sign of ill health. More specifically, there is a link between liver disease and skin/coat changes, and hormonal issues, such as Hypothyroidism or Cushing’s disease.
- New lumps and bumps: Are ALWAYS worth having checked by your vet, both when 1st noticed and if they suddenly change in size, shape, texture, mobility, or become painful. Lumps and bumps, mostly warts and fatty lumps, are very common in older dogs, but even the most benign looking mass can be the start of something nastier and potentially malignant.
- Breathing issues or a cough: A change in breathing (faster, slower, more effort, more panting, difficulty), or a new persistent cough could all be signs of heart disease, laryngeal paralysis, tracheal collapse, or lung disease (either primary, or the lungs are a common site for metastatic spread of cancer).
- Behaviour changes: As well as with doggie dementia as discussed, behaviour changes can be a sign of pain or discomfort so you should always get your dog properly examined before assuming their behaviour relates to cognitive decline.
- Abdominal distension: Can be a sign of either fluid or something solid like a tumour taking up abdominal space. If it happens more slowly, and with other symptoms it could indicate Cushings disease, where they commonly develop a ‘potbelly’ appearance.
- Reluctance to exercise as much: This could be pain, a heart or breathing issue, a nerve problem, or many other possibilities.
- Sudden changes in ongoing problems: If your pets condition suddenly declines, or changes, it is always worth getting them checked. It could be the same issue causing them problems, or it could be something new. If you know what the problem is, you can look to get it fixed, but if you don’t, you can’t!
In conclusion, if you have an old pet, and anything unusual or different happens in any aspect of their health or life, then it is potentially worth checking. A quick check at the vet can reassure you if you are worrying unnecessarily, or if further investigations should be sought. Either way, with the geriatrics, it is better to get things tested than leave underlying disease or discomfort to progress unchecked. Even if you think your pet is ageing faster than you would expect, then it may be worth getting checked. There is a phrase I have heard so frequently from my ageing pet owners with newly diagnosed disease: ‘I just thought he/she was getting older.’
Owning an older pet is a delight, but also can be a challenge and a worry. Always remember that you have other options outside of the conventional medical sphere to help support them in their old age, so find your nearest holistic vet and see what they can offer you, as well as discussing all the options with your regular vet. You also don’t have to wait for disease to occur before you seek help – that is where holistic medicine is so fantastic (and satisfying for your holistic vet!) as we can help support the ageing process so it is as smooth as possible.
If you’re looking for a holistic vet then you can find Herbalists through the BAVH (British Association of Veterinary Herbalists), Homeopaths through the BAHVS (British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons) and Acupuncturists through the ABVA (Association of British Veterinary Acupuncturists).
Keep your golden oldies happy and comfortable, so you can all enjoy life to the maximum in their last years with you. And remember to take lots of photos.
Article by Dr. Vicky Simon BVetMed VetMFHom MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon at Holistic Vet Vicky
www.holisticvetvicky.co.uk
