Handling Ailments in Aging Pets

by Gwen Jones

Mac and Rosie were only a year apart in age; they both lived to be almost 15 years old, and throughout their aging process I learned much of what to expect as dogs age. I discovered many ways to make their last years not only more comfortable, but also as fulfilling as their earlier lives had been. I also discovered my own thresholds.

Doing my best

Mac had always been an extremely active dog. Frisbees, balls, and sticks were his favorite things to chase. On his twelfth birthday we had our last game of Frisbee. He was losing interest, and his body was beginning to feel the ravages of so many leaps into the air. As I began to research methods to keep his body functioning as comfortably as possible, I recalled a chiropractor who had worked on a couple of horses I knew. I made an appointment for Mac, and after his initial treatment I was quite gratified to see the difference in him. He was moving more comfortably and seemed to be a lot more comfortable when he ran: I no longer saw that “hitch in his giddy-up.” Mac’s breathing, however, was a different story.

Troubled for the last four years of his life with Partial Laryngeal Paralysis, Mac had lots of difficulty breathing. When he got overly excited or did too much running he sounded horrible, raspy. Concerned strangers constantly asked me if my dog was all right. Unfortunately there were no straightforward solutions. The single option, a costly surgery, could not be guaranteed to rectify the problem. All I could do was my best at managing Mac’s affliction. Management is what we, as our pets’ guardians, must do of the afflictions they can get in old age. A few of these problems are heart disease, kidney failure, arthritis, poor eyesight and/or hearing, loss of cognitive functions, and increased anxiety.

Limitations and thresholds

Rosie was affected by a plethora of “old dog” syndromes, which included Degenerative Myelopathy, (DM), decreasing vision, and increasing incontinence. With DM the myelin sheaths of the nerves degenerate, and because of this Rosie gradually lost the use of her back legs. I had her fitted for a custom-built cart to keep her as mobile as possible. It came with three different sets of tires for different terrains, so Rosie was still able to take small hikes with us and go out and walk every day. But as she became less able to lift herself off the ground, she developed more and more anxiety. She also became more prone to house soiling. I had made her a promise years ago that I, as her guardian and caregiver, would not let her suffer the indignities of incontinence. At the time when you have to make a final decision for your pet, understanding your own and your animal’s thresholds becomes vitally important. I had considered the impending decision long before it became necessary, and that helped some. Besides two-wheeled carts or “doggie wheelchairs,” there are other items that make living with a geriatric dog easier. There are a number of attachments for trucks and SUVs like ramps and pullout stairs to help your dog enter or exit your vehicle. You can buy straps or handles to make lifting and walking your dog a relative breeze.

Playing Sherlock Holmes

Many breed-specific ailments which, if tackled early, will result in better managed health care. Collie type dogs are prone to “Collie-eye Anomalies,” Dalmatians are prone to bladder stones, German Shepherds, who have been historically prone to hip dysplasia, are now becoming more prone to elbow dysplasia too. An important part of adopting a purebred dog is to find out whether the parents were screened for breed-specific maladies. Many breeders will be able to show you the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation of Animals) certificate of both parents or the CERF (Canine Eye Registry Foundation) certificate which screens for heritable eye disease. If you are considering adoption it would be wise to research the dog’s predominant breeds to learn about potential health problems.

People often believe that mixed breed dogs are less prone to hereditary diseases, but this is true only if the parents of that particular dog carried none of the defective genes. Since humans have, for the most part, taken over the breeding and “creation” of dogs, leaving natural selection or survival of the fittest out of the equation, we must take on the full responsibility of health guardians.

In Mac’s case, I made some poor decisions when he was young. I played too much Frisbee with, him and took him on too many long runs alongside my bike to try to wear him out, both of which negatively affected his developing bones and muscles. I let him gnaw endlessly on tennis balls which helped wear down his teeth. Mac was hypothyroid which, if diagnosed earlier would have given him a better long term quality of life.

We will always question whether we are doing the best thing for our animals but we also must consider ourselves, our emotional and financial thresholds. Although it may seem hard-hearted to consider money when considering our pets’ lives, it is an important factor. I could not afford to have surgery done on Mac’s throat, for example. At that time, the cost of surgery would have put a huge financial strain on the family for a procedure that several vets told me had a less than 50% success rate.

For more information about care for aging dogs see websites listed here and consult with your veterinarian about what to watch out for and how to handle what pops up. If your veterinarian does not provide senior care, there are many veterinarians who now specialize in geriatric medicine. Look in your local phone book for veterinarians and clinics that specialize.