When you bring home a dog, you imagine him to be there life long. Unfortunately, that seems too good to be true. But, if you are lucky, you might be able to spend all your golden years together.
Dogs start showing signs of aging once they reach eight or eleven years of age, depending on their breeds. But, since they can’t speak your language, they cannot communicate their worries as easily as you do when you reach 40. They crawl away into a quiet corner and lick their wounds and do not rejoin the world until they are whole once more. You need to be alert and look for the following signs in order to be a better care giver for your buddy.
- He doesn’t seem to be listening to you nor seeing the ball you threw for him plain within his sight. Probably, a loss of hearing and sight, to some extent, as happens with humans too.
- He’s getting anxious in the presence of guests or strangers, a little bit more aggressive than before and clinging more to you as if in fear. Yes! His senses are dulling and he cannot manage stressful situations like he used to.
- He’s having difficulty moving, getting up or climbing and seems to have become a slow poke and lazy dump. That’s definitely because of joint stiffness or symptoms of arthritis, if not an old injury threatening to resurface.
- He’s putting on weight and gives you that ridiculous look of ‘I’m always hungry but don’t know what to do’. Well, his activity, metabolism and energy level have all slowed down with age and all he remembers is how much he has to eat all the time.
- His teeth and gums have aged too, showing signs of deterioration, just like his once shining and smooth coat, all requiring immediate attention.
