Senior Dog | My dogs health blog

Possible Physical Causes for Behavior Problems in Geriatric Dogs

Different breeds of dogs age at different rates. A large breed such as a Great Dane or Newfoundland will reach old age sooner than smaller breeds like Chihuahuas or Toy Poodles. Life spans range from 7 to 15 years, with each year equivalent to 6 or 7 human years. Despite whatever breed your dog may be, you will have to watch them closely and take him on regular visits to the vet to determine where he is in his life cycle and what special needs, if any, are required at each stage.

Regardless of when the onset of old age begins, there are changes that are common to all dogs. Behavioral problems, such as indifference to food, increased wandering, house soiling, and changes in the way your dog interacts with other dogs and people, are all signs that your dog is getting old.

The first thing you should do upon noticing any of these behavioral changes is determine the cause. That means a physical workup and a talk with your dog’s vet. Aging pets will begin to have many more health issues than they did when they were younger and many times those issues will be the cause of problems such as aggression. You are grumpier when you don’t feel well and your pet will be also. Unfortunately, a grumpy pet may be more likely than a human to lash out physically, and that means biting or snapping. If a previously non-aggressive dog begins to exhibit aggressive behavior, determine whether it is a physical problem that may be handled with medication. If not, simply make sure that family members and visitors realize that Fido no longer likes to be touched in that particular spot if, for instance, the problem is an arthritic hip.

Sometimes, however, decreased functioning of eyesight or hearing may cause fear aggression in a pet. In that case, make sure people know that they should warn the pet of their approach, and not to approach the pet suddenly. Simply calling out, “Hey Fido, it’s me,” if the pet has eyesight issues, or making sure he can see you coming if he has hearing issues, will usually do the trick.

Even if your pet is not exhibiting aggression, you will want to be alert for other changes in behavior associated with pain or failing senses. Pets with these problems may also become withdrawn and depressed. If he starts lying around all day and refuses food or playtime, then that may be a sign of depression in your pet. You will want to make the effort to deal with the physical problems, and also to make sure that the pet is still included in interactions with the family.

Any sudden changes in your dog’s habits may indicate that he is getting old. However, you should try to first rule out that it is not a physical problem that is causing the change in behavior. Decreased bladder control or aching joints could keep your dog from wanting to go out as often as he should. Nutrition is also to be taken into consideration, as older dogs have different ones from their younger, more active counterparts. Above all, have patience. Your dog’s life and yours is changing. Don’t give up or abandon him, because he needs you now more than before.

Jeff Clare runs Dog Training News where you can read many more articles on dog training. For more general advice on dog health go to Dogs And Dog News.

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Dog Helper, June 22nd 2011 | Tags: Behavior, Causes, causes for behavior, Dogs, Geriatric, Physical, Possible, Problems
Posted in Senior Dog

How To Detect Whether Your Dog Is Suffering From Problems Due To Separation Anxiety

Dog separation anxiety is a common problem with most dogs. They are extremely affectionate animals and often become attached with their owners. This causes them to suffer from depression in the absence of their master. However, most owners do not realize whether their dogs need help. It is extremely important to understand that whether your dog is suffering from depression from being left alone or he simply isn’t trained to stay calm at home.

At first examine the behavior of your pet. If your dog appears to chew or bark when at home normally, then it may be a part of his nature. When living with the members at home even if the dog behaves abnormally then also it might simply require to get trained. If he happens to behave unusually when alone at home then possibly your dog is suffering from depression due to anxiety.

If your dog is exposed to accidents when performing training activities in your absence then those are not related to anxiety issues. Your pet may bark when bored or when he does not receive enough attention. In fact, severe cases of depression due to separation are extremely rare in dogs.

Dog separation anxiety is actually more than a behavioral issue. If your dog is emotionally down trodden, then he might behave just like how humans do when left alone. However, some of the most applicable issues with anxiety is excitement or nervousness when you are about to leave. In fact, a dog stricken with such conditions might become unruly and wild and may even start to destroy things inside the house. Certain dogs may just whine or bark for about ten or fifteen minutes after you’re gone while symptoms of dog depression anxiety may go on for hours.

Several factors can contribute to the emergence of separation anxiety problems. It might occur for varying degrees of intensity which entirely depends on the reason and also the nature of your dog. Certain common causes are as enlisted:

Moving out of the house for a long time.
Leaving your dog alone frequently when he was younger.
Your dog does not go out or socialize.
The dog is ill or is weak.
Your pet undergoes a traumatic situation.
The dog is extremely nervous by nature and requires being accompanied at all times.

Dog separation anxiety can make the owner feel guilty but there are certainly ways to help overcome this problem. If the problem persists even then, it’s advisable to consult a veterinarian for medication.

Ryan Carter has a keen interest in pets. He is skilled in pet relationship and has expertise in training dogs. Get more insight and information on dog separation anxiety symptoms and cure to provide your pet a happy lifestyle.

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Dog Helper, June 22nd 2011 | Tags: Anxiety, Detect, From, Problems, Separation, Suffering, Whether
Posted in Senior Dog

Treatments For Dog Health Problems

The master is who takes care of the health of the dog and it’s a hard task to take, but that’s the responsibility of owning a dog. Watching out for health problems in your dog is a must in order to obtain a good healthy pet. If you do not pay close attention to the health of your friendly pet, it could have you paying lots of money and this is another reason why it’s important to remember the responsibilities of taking care of a dog. When you find that your pet has a health problem, you will need to take them to the vet. Dog health problems can vary between bodily problems and skin problems. Within this article, I am going to discuss how to avoid certain dog health problems.

You will find dogs to have certain health conditions depending on their breed. Two good examples of this are a boxer and pit bull. A boxer is more likely to get vision problems and a pit bull is more likely to get hip dyspepsia. This article will give you valuable information that can be applied to all dog breeds. This includes pit bulls, huskies, boxers, and rottweilers.

Making sure that your dog is well trained will keep him happy and healthy. By properly training your canine, you will make him smart and smart dogs have a habit of staying healthy. If you care about your dog’s well-being, you will begin his training as soon as possible. You should begin by leash training him and teaching him his name. By doing this, you will have more control of him which will allow you to keep your canine out of trouble. Teaching your canine that the road is a dangerous place would also be adviseable because many innocent dogs have died on the road.

If your canine has a health issue, you need to look for a vet that can resolve any problems your dog may have. Your dog can have many health problems and one of the major ones is heart worms. Heart worms can have your canine going through a difficult time as they get older and more than likely not make it through. So, if your beloved canine is coughing, this could be a sign of heart worms and needs to be looked at by a vet. Fortunately, there are various ways to prevent heart worms that will allow your dog to live a long and healthy life. If the heart worms are detected too late (heart worms have spread throughout the body and grew all over the heart), then your four-legged friend may lose his life.

You should keep an eye out for health problems that are the most common. These problems can involve fleas and ticks. To prevent ticks and fleas from infesting your dog, you should look into purchasing one of the many popular flea and tick prevention products. There might also be parasites and bugs which can also have a detrimental effect to your canine. Parasites can feed on your dog and leave it weak. They can also cause heart problems.

If your dog has a skin problem, he can get a condition known as mange. Mange is a common health problem among dogs that live in the outdoors and don’t get washed regulary. Many dog owners find that many health problems occur because of neglect or because they did not take their dog to the vet enough.

Bone problems are health problems that are difficult to avoid. Dogs that have hip problems and other bone problems will have a hard time with their mobility when they get older. Moving around will be difficult and painful. Your vet might be able to give your dog pain medication and/or joint supplements that can alleviate some of the pain.

The health of your dog all depends on you and you should know that one by now. Did you know that there are certain vitamins and supplements that you will be able to give your four legged friend? That’s right, those vitamins and supplements will help your pet stay healthy. However, there are also some vitamins and supplements out there that are not good for your pet. No matter how good a supplement or vitamin claims to be, you should first make sure and double check with the veterinarian. You wouldn’t go and put medication into your body before you checked with your doctor, now would you? Many of us wouldn’t.

You should also take note that exercising your dog is extremely important. In order to find the right exercise for the breed of dog you have, you will need to ask your veterinarian. Some of the exercises could be something as little as playing fetch, while certain dogs, such as pit bulls, enjoy a game of good old ‘tug-of-war’ or Frisbee.

Just as human beings need to get vaccinated, so does your dog. This is why you should pay attention to his vaccination schedule. There are vaccinations that can prevent infections and viruses from destroying your canine’s health. Some of these vaccinations may require a follow up either a couple of months or a couple of years later as your canine grows up.

As you are growing up with your canine, you should always make sure that dog health problems are your first concern. If you notice any abnormal signs in your dog, then take him to your veterinarian immediately. In fact, you should get your dog checked by a vet annually in order to make sure that he is in the best possible health.

For more information about some of the more common dog health problems, please click on any of the given links:
dog health problems
dog health problems

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Originally posted 2010-11-24 15:53:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter