Old Dog Health Problems

Our canine pals get older, too. As they age, they may start to experience a few "old dog health problems". Many of these problems are not serious, but some can be - and it's always wise to keep a watchful eye on your senior pooch. Check your dog regularly for warnings signs of old dog health problems. Here are a few things to watch:

Unusual lapses in housetraining. A dog that may have been rock-solid steady in his housetraining may start eliminating in appropriate places. Now, housebreaking an older dog again is possible, of course, but the first thing to do is bring him to the vet to rule out (or treat) any underlying medical conditions that may be causing these housebreaking problems.
Check your dog for lumps and bumps, particularly any that appear suddenly or that appear to change in size, shape, texture, or color. Check all over his body, including in between his paw pads. Note the location and size of the lumps and contact your vet for advice. Your vet will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your dog's behavior. He or she can then suggest various courses of action.
Try not to panic - many lumps are benign, such as fatty cysts or warts. If you or your vet believes it might be malignant, a fine needle aspirate may be possible (where they suck some cells out of the lump), or the lump may be removed. Please remember that general anesthesia always carries a risk... so if the lump isn't malignant or bothering the dog in any way, perhaps it isn't worth removing. Ask your vet for advice.
Adjust your dog's food as required. Many commercial dog foods offer a "senior's diet" which is supposed to be specially formulated for the older dog. As dogs age, their metabolisms can change and they could become more prone to obesity if their diets are not adjusted accordingly.
Also look for changes in your dog's appetite. Both increases and decreases in appetite can be caused by medical conditions (for example, liver disease in dogs is one of many reasons why a dog may lose his appetite).
Look for changes in your dog's coat. For instance, a visit to the vet may be warranted if your dog's fur becomes very dry or he starts to lose hair (not merely his normal shedding, but real loss of fur).
Is your dog drinking or urinating excessively? This is known as polydipsia/polyurea, and there are could be several medical reasons behind it, such as Cushings Disease or canine diabetes.
Decreased mobility in older dogs is pretty common. You might notice that your pet has trouble getting up or climbing stairs, or perhaps he doesn't like to rough house with the other pets anymore. You can ask your vet to assess your dog for arthritis or other joint problems. With some dogs (like with some people) it's fairly mild, and in others it can be quite painful. Doggy ramps and elevated feeders are just a couple of useful items that can assist older dogs.
If your pet's mobility is on the decrease, make sure you likewise adjust his exercise routine (shorter walks, swimming, etc). Exercise is still important to keep him healthy. Likewise, try to keep him at a healthy weight as it will put less stress on his joints.
Are there changes in hearing or vision? If you notice that dog doesn't come on command anymore, starts reacting as if he's startled when someone approaches, or begins bumping into things, take him to the vet for assessment. Dogs usually start to experience a decrease in both vision and hearing as they age.
Look for changes in behavior. This can include confusion (even to the point where he doesn't recognize members of the family), restlessness, separation anxiety when none existed before, and more. Sometimes there is an underlying physical reason for behavior changes; it could also be canine cognitive dysfunction ("doggy dementia"). Your vet will examine your dog to try to determine the cause.

Your vet may suggest a senior's blood panel to screen for some of the more common geriatric conditions so that they can be treated, if necessary. Old dog health issues are to be expected, just like when people age, we experience health issues too. But senior dogs make wonderful pets and deserve to live out their remaining years happy and as healthy as possible.