Older Dog - Some Frequent Questions - answers, observations & comments
Dr S Coren, 2004, [see the Review page] had good advice in a chapter in his book about the challenges and care of doggish old age.
Among many inconveniences that the old dog will try to keep from your attention are the condition of his or her teeth, which unfortunately can lead to a dog’s feeling severe pain like a migraine headache all the time from bad-teeth. It’s best if you can have a trusted Vet check and maybe pull any bad teeth once a year or so in old age. A dog with tooth ache generally doesn’t eat well and her nutrition and vitamins go to wrong. For our dogs, we were amazed and delighted that even a cleaning and pulling a little tooth in front made a gigantic difference to the personality and playfulness of our deaf dog.
When she began to climb the stairs like she was scaling Mt Whitney, we got some glucosamine pills from our Vet, and that made a great difference (people grade of meds from a store can be less expensive)
In winter we made sure ours got out in the daytime for a little while nearly every decently safe day, to avoid the loss of daylight that can lead to depression of dogs and people. One of our senior dogs at age 15 suffered a stroke, but recovered almost 95 percent within about six months. We were fortunate that none of our dogs suffered canine mental dysfunction (dementia) except during a final illness. None of them became aggressive or bad-tempered in their old age, or lost the urge to socialize any puppies or juveniles that interfered with their naps.
Older dogs going deaf (and/or blind) and having depression: Many things can make a older dog feel and act depressed. 1) Gradual departure of other family members such as kids going off to college or new homes of their own, loss of adults and such will reduce the amount of important social interaction and companionship that most dogs need.
2) Reduction or loss of time spent with their people because of business commitments or family social obligations can mean less training or just less exercise and long walks together and that can lead to depression and putting on weight.
3) Any dogs who are indoors most of the time, and especially if they are blind, are vulnerable to loss of their instinctive “time of day” body clock which ought get adjusted every day when they can see daylight for at least ten (10) minutes. New research reported in 2011 confirmed that a soft white florescent light on a timer provide a good-enough imitation of the vital exposure to daylight at about 480 nm wavelength (blue) needed to adjust their body time and minimize risks of depression; (which is also the situation with some people.)
Older dog obsessive behavior scratching floor:1) Odds are an older dog obsessively scratching the floor is bored out of her or his wee gourd! Sometimes the person might recognize that the dog is “pretend” burying or digging up an old smelly bit from long ago. Kindness would suggest giving her some safe piece of old bone to satisfy her that she has at last found the long lost old bone from long ago.
2) Another possibility is that she or he is instinctively trying to prepare a specific place for lying down to doze or sleep. Even quite young dogs will sometimes do that late in the evening when they want to stay close to their late-working people, rather than go off to bed in a lonely crate all by themselves. It’s usually best to provide an old towel or blanket for the dog to arrange for her nap, which also will constructively distract her from obsessive scratching and pawing at the floor or a rug or whatever. A younger deaf dog will often lie down with a paw on the person’s foot, try to lie across their feet, or against their chair while the dog naps before everyone goes off to bed.
Old deaf dog and dog aggression: An older dog who is in pain, perhaps low on thyroid (hypo-thyroid), maybe suffers from arthritis and joint pain that causes loss of moving around -mobility and has other miseries can eventually try to tell with a lifted lip and a low unserious growl to her people and other animals that she basically prefers to be left alone, in peace and quiet - --. If she is harassed too much after they’re asked to treat her kindly, an old dog might somehow manage to get together some energy for a few seconds and try for a good firm nip on the nearest part of whoever was bugging her.
In contrast to an older dog defending herself from prolonged irritation, occasionally in dog parks stranger dogs will misunderstand an older dog’s body language and tail messages, resulting in half-playful bumping and pawing by the younger more energetic dog, against the older dog. If the older dog is no longer able to communicate well her opinions that the delinquent should be polite and quit acting like an uncivilized juvenile, it would be best if the old dog’s person politely interrupts the impolite misbehaving dog, to take care of her old companion dog. Only in extreme instances might a poorly trained unsocialized younger dog victimize an older dog, in which case however forceful intervention with a section of leash in hand might be needed for the sake of all – but don’t get between them until they are well separated.
Old deaf dog crying at night? If by “crying” you mean a nearly continuous whimper, or almost human-like sobbing, you have an unhappy dog. The possible causes can include 1) low-grade continuous pain that she suppresses during the day to pretend that she’s felling fine. It might be worth a try to ask a Vet for a mild pain-relief medication just to find out if that’s the problem.
2) Some older dogs who can’t get outdoors as much as they used to with their people to exercise and play get seriously depressed, and when they are alone away from their people they whimper to themselves and sort of cry. A good backrub and attention at bedtime is often helpful, and for some a bedtime-only special furry toy nearly as big as they are can provide a sense of companionship and security at night.
Older dog yelps in middle of night. Is she going blind? Comment: The usual reasons a dog yelps in the middle of the night include: 1) Dreaming about a chase, maybe a squirrel, rabbit, some other dog - - Maybe you can recall some dog-adventure when she yelped like that? Dogs do dream, and sometimes their feet go just a little like they were running or jumping until they yelp or whine, depending on if they dreamed their “target” was caught or escaped?
2) A sharp twinge of pain from arthritis in a hip joint or shoulder also could provoke a yelp, but a whimper or whine might be more likely. // Going blind slowly from day to day wouldn’t likely cause a yelp, unless the dog was suffering from an eye infection or painful glaucoma and her sleeping motions caused a sudden pain in her eye? Best to have a Vet check.
Older resident female (or male) dog and deaf (or blind or deaf-blind) male (or female) puppy: The history and physical condition of the older dog (male or female) is important as well as the sort of socializing and training of the young dog. The good news is that matching an old dog with a puppy can make them both happy and work out very well for all, if their personalities and health match well enough. One or the other ought to be neutered, to minimize the day to day gender tensions that even dogs can feel. Young male puppies of our acquaintance managed to overcome certain boy-girl athletic challenges, when well motivated.
Has the older dog had good experiences with puppies and juveniles (whether deaf, blind or deaf-blind)? Is the older dog likely to try to socialize an untrained ill-mannered bumptious puppy or perhaps too tired and too much in pain and has difficulty moving to cope with a lively exuberant doggish companion? Sadly, an older dog in advanced ill health may not be able to respond well to the playful attempts of an exuberant young dog to get her up and charging about the house and yard like a spring chicken. A good tempered older dog will respond as well to a deaf or blind puppy or an ordinary one – every puppy is unique; “There is no such thing as THE dog ...!”
Ideally a puppy would be properly socialized to behave nicely with an adult dog, whether either or both are deaf, blind or deaf-blind. Of course a deaf puppy ought to have been taught Sign Language (such as doggish American Sign Language (ASL)), and a blind-deaf puppy ought to have been taught the “rapping- touch” language that is like the deaf dog’s ASL. (In Australia, Canada and the UK, etc it’s called something other than ASL, I’ve heard.)
Guesses- -A healthy old dog and a puppy can be four times more fun than just one of them, and ought be not much more work than one and a half old dogs (don’t ask about that half dog!)
Nobody asked – letting Go when nothing can be done: It’s best to not make an old companion suffer without just cause when all hope has gone for recovery at least to freedom from pain. It seems that for all of us who achieve older age, there are many kinds of joint pains. Medical relief is available for most - visit a Veterinarian. Some dogs and breeds who had a genetic tendency to hip malfunctions, by 2010 had available surgical hip replacements, which of course were expensive.
S. Coren, 2004, pages 276-287 (see Review page) described physical health conditions and domestic circumstances, believable to us, that could provoke a nippy self-defense startle reaction from an old dog, hearing, deaf, blind or blind-deaf didn’t seem to matter, that was suffering from limited mobility, chronic pain, arthritis and other miseries - - (And as I get older, I’m not so sweet at times, either.)
Possible pain relief meds: Many kinds of pain relief medications are available over the counter and by prescription. Baby-size aspirin might be used as ‘test’ to discover if a dog’s in pain, as is likely if she perks up promptly from one baby-pill. Ask your Veterinarian to be sure.
Risks of decreasing eye-sight such as cataracts - whitish eye lens- , depends considerably on the breed: Losses of vision are more common in old age. Some can be medically relieved for years. Others require major surgery to prolong pain-free life for years. The ability of blind dogs to live for years in their homes and yards with good people was well documented and impressive - beyond easy description. Support groups are available on the Web.
More vulnerable to certain diseases such as SARDS, PRA, glaucoma, arthritis, and tick-borne diseases: Sadly there are diseases that happen more often in old age, and others that seem to be passive for years until in old age a dog’s natural defenses are no longer as quick and effective as they once were.
When it’s “time”? If there is no hope and your companion is in pain without any enjoyment in life remaining, perhaps it has become time for a long quiet pain free nap.
Grieving: You and they are never entirely alone. The thoughts of other people can be consoling, as they were to me.
***
Will Rogers, a famous cowboy, alleged said:
“If dogs don’t go to heaven, I want to go where they go.”
A Welsh Prayer:
“If there be no room in heaven for this one who was honest, hard-working, wise and kind all her life, then there’s no room for me.”
Dog-Mourning:
Some dogs mourn for their companions and their people, whether they were deaf, blind, deaf-blind or ordinary.
Moving On in Life:
Traditionally, adopting another dog ought to usually be delayed until you no longer are hoping that the new dog will be exactly like its pre-deceasor.
Rainbow Bridge (anon)
A poem sent by a friend. The author is unknown.
I WAS STANDING ON A HILLSIDE IN A FIELD OF BLOWING WHEAT
AND THE SPIRIT OF MY PET WAS LYING AT MY FEET.
HE LOOKED AT ME WITH KIND DARK EYES AN ANCIENT WISDOM SHINING THROUGH
AND IN THE ESSENCE OF HIS BEING I SAW LOVE THERE TOO.
HIS MIND DID LOCK UPON MY HEART AS I STOOD THERE ON THAT DAY
AND HE TOLD ME OF THIS STORY ABOUT A PLACE FAR AWAY.
I STOOD UPON THE HILLSIDE IN A FIELD OF BLOWING WHEAT
AND IN A TWINKLING OF A SECOND HIS SPIRIT LEFT MY FEET.
HIS TALE DID PUT MY HEART AT EASE MY FEARS DID FADE AWAY
ABOUT WHAT LAY AHEAD OF ME ON ANOTHER DISTANT DAY.
“I LIVE AMONG GOD’S CREATURES NOW IN THE HEAVENS OF YOUR MIND SO DO NOT GRIEVE FOR ME, MY FRIEND
AS I AM WITH MY KING. MY COLLAR IS A RAINBOW’S HUE, MY LEASH A SHOOTING STAR,
MY BOUNDARIES ARE THE MILKY WAY WHERE I SPARKLE FROM AFAR.
THERE ARE NO PENS OR KENNELS HERE FOR I AM NOT CONFINED BUT FREE TO ROAM GOD’S HEAVENS AMONG MY ANIMAL KIND.
I NAP THE DAY ON A SNOWY CLOUD, GENTLE BREEZES ROCKING ME AND DREAM THE DREAMS OF EARTHLINGS AND HOW IT USED TO BE.
THE TREES ARE FULL OF LIVER-TREATS AND TENNIS BALLS ABOUND AND MILKBONES LINE THE WALKWAYS JUST WAITING TO BE FOUND.
THERE EVEN IS A RING SET UP, THE GRASS ALL LUSH AND GREEN AND
EVERYONE WHO GAITS AROUND BECOMES THE BEST OF BREED.
FOR WE’RE ALL WINNERS IN THIS PLACE.
WE HAVE NO FAULTS, YOU SEE AND GOD PASSES OUT THOSE RIBBONS TO EACH ONE, EVEN ME.
I DRINK FROM WATERS LACED WITH GOLD
MY WORLD A BEAUTY TO BEHOLD AND WISE OLD ANIMALS DO FORM MY PRIDE TO AMBLE AT MY VERY SIDE.
AT NIGHT I SLEEP IN AN ANGEL’S ARMS HER WINGS PROTECTING ME AND MOONBEAMS DANCE ABOUT US AS STARDUST FALLS ON THEE.
SO WHEN YOUR LIFE ON EARTH IS SPENT AND YOU STAND AT HEAVEN’S GATE
HAVE NO FEAR OF LONELINESS FOR HERE YOU KNOW I WAIT!
To go to the TOP of the page click here
Among many inconveniences that the old dog will try to keep from your attention are the condition of his or her teeth, which unfortunately can lead to a dog’s feeling severe pain like a migraine headache all the time from bad-teeth. It’s best if you can have a trusted Vet check and maybe pull any bad teeth once a year or so in old age. A dog with tooth ache generally doesn’t eat well and her nutrition and vitamins go to wrong. For our dogs, we were amazed and delighted that even a cleaning and pulling a little tooth in front made a gigantic difference to the personality and playfulness of our deaf dog.
When she began to climb the stairs like she was scaling Mt Whitney, we got some glucosamine pills from our Vet, and that made a great difference (people grade of meds from a store can be less expensive)
In winter we made sure ours got out in the daytime for a little while nearly every decently safe day, to avoid the loss of daylight that can lead to depression of dogs and people. One of our senior dogs at age 15 suffered a stroke, but recovered almost 95 percent within about six months. We were fortunate that none of our dogs suffered canine mental dysfunction (dementia) except during a final illness. None of them became aggressive or bad-tempered in their old age, or lost the urge to socialize any puppies or juveniles that interfered with their naps.
Older dogs going deaf (and/or blind) and having depression: Many things can make a older dog feel and act depressed. 1) Gradual departure of other family members such as kids going off to college or new homes of their own, loss of adults and such will reduce the amount of important social interaction and companionship that most dogs need.
2) Reduction or loss of time spent with their people because of business commitments or family social obligations can mean less training or just less exercise and long walks together and that can lead to depression and putting on weight.
3) Any dogs who are indoors most of the time, and especially if they are blind, are vulnerable to loss of their instinctive “time of day” body clock which ought get adjusted every day when they can see daylight for at least ten (10) minutes. New research reported in 2011 confirmed that a soft white florescent light on a timer provide a good-enough imitation of the vital exposure to daylight at about 480 nm wavelength (blue) needed to adjust their body time and minimize risks of depression; (which is also the situation with some people.)
Older dog obsessive behavior scratching floor:1) Odds are an older dog obsessively scratching the floor is bored out of her or his wee gourd! Sometimes the person might recognize that the dog is “pretend” burying or digging up an old smelly bit from long ago. Kindness would suggest giving her some safe piece of old bone to satisfy her that she has at last found the long lost old bone from long ago.
2) Another possibility is that she or he is instinctively trying to prepare a specific place for lying down to doze or sleep. Even quite young dogs will sometimes do that late in the evening when they want to stay close to their late-working people, rather than go off to bed in a lonely crate all by themselves. It’s usually best to provide an old towel or blanket for the dog to arrange for her nap, which also will constructively distract her from obsessive scratching and pawing at the floor or a rug or whatever. A younger deaf dog will often lie down with a paw on the person’s foot, try to lie across their feet, or against their chair while the dog naps before everyone goes off to bed.
Old deaf dog and dog aggression: An older dog who is in pain, perhaps low on thyroid (hypo-thyroid), maybe suffers from arthritis and joint pain that causes loss of moving around -mobility and has other miseries can eventually try to tell with a lifted lip and a low unserious growl to her people and other animals that she basically prefers to be left alone, in peace and quiet - --. If she is harassed too much after they’re asked to treat her kindly, an old dog might somehow manage to get together some energy for a few seconds and try for a good firm nip on the nearest part of whoever was bugging her.
In contrast to an older dog defending herself from prolonged irritation, occasionally in dog parks stranger dogs will misunderstand an older dog’s body language and tail messages, resulting in half-playful bumping and pawing by the younger more energetic dog, against the older dog. If the older dog is no longer able to communicate well her opinions that the delinquent should be polite and quit acting like an uncivilized juvenile, it would be best if the old dog’s person politely interrupts the impolite misbehaving dog, to take care of her old companion dog. Only in extreme instances might a poorly trained unsocialized younger dog victimize an older dog, in which case however forceful intervention with a section of leash in hand might be needed for the sake of all – but don’t get between them until they are well separated.
Old deaf dog crying at night? If by “crying” you mean a nearly continuous whimper, or almost human-like sobbing, you have an unhappy dog. The possible causes can include 1) low-grade continuous pain that she suppresses during the day to pretend that she’s felling fine. It might be worth a try to ask a Vet for a mild pain-relief medication just to find out if that’s the problem.
2) Some older dogs who can’t get outdoors as much as they used to with their people to exercise and play get seriously depressed, and when they are alone away from their people they whimper to themselves and sort of cry. A good backrub and attention at bedtime is often helpful, and for some a bedtime-only special furry toy nearly as big as they are can provide a sense of companionship and security at night.
Older dog yelps in middle of night. Is she going blind? Comment: The usual reasons a dog yelps in the middle of the night include: 1) Dreaming about a chase, maybe a squirrel, rabbit, some other dog - - Maybe you can recall some dog-adventure when she yelped like that? Dogs do dream, and sometimes their feet go just a little like they were running or jumping until they yelp or whine, depending on if they dreamed their “target” was caught or escaped?
2) A sharp twinge of pain from arthritis in a hip joint or shoulder also could provoke a yelp, but a whimper or whine might be more likely. // Going blind slowly from day to day wouldn’t likely cause a yelp, unless the dog was suffering from an eye infection or painful glaucoma and her sleeping motions caused a sudden pain in her eye? Best to have a Vet check.
Older resident female (or male) dog and deaf (or blind or deaf-blind) male (or female) puppy: The history and physical condition of the older dog (male or female) is important as well as the sort of socializing and training of the young dog. The good news is that matching an old dog with a puppy can make them both happy and work out very well for all, if their personalities and health match well enough. One or the other ought to be neutered, to minimize the day to day gender tensions that even dogs can feel. Young male puppies of our acquaintance managed to overcome certain boy-girl athletic challenges, when well motivated.
Has the older dog had good experiences with puppies and juveniles (whether deaf, blind or deaf-blind)? Is the older dog likely to try to socialize an untrained ill-mannered bumptious puppy or perhaps too tired and too much in pain and has difficulty moving to cope with a lively exuberant doggish companion? Sadly, an older dog in advanced ill health may not be able to respond well to the playful attempts of an exuberant young dog to get her up and charging about the house and yard like a spring chicken. A good tempered older dog will respond as well to a deaf or blind puppy or an ordinary one – every puppy is unique; “There is no such thing as THE dog ...!”
Ideally a puppy would be properly socialized to behave nicely with an adult dog, whether either or both are deaf, blind or deaf-blind. Of course a deaf puppy ought to have been taught Sign Language (such as doggish American Sign Language (ASL)), and a blind-deaf puppy ought to have been taught the “rapping- touch” language that is like the deaf dog’s ASL. (In Australia, Canada and the UK, etc it’s called something other than ASL, I’ve heard.)
Guesses- -A healthy old dog and a puppy can be four times more fun than just one of them, and ought be not much more work than one and a half old dogs (don’t ask about that half dog!)
Nobody asked – letting Go when nothing can be done: It’s best to not make an old companion suffer without just cause when all hope has gone for recovery at least to freedom from pain. It seems that for all of us who achieve older age, there are many kinds of joint pains. Medical relief is available for most - visit a Veterinarian. Some dogs and breeds who had a genetic tendency to hip malfunctions, by 2010 had available surgical hip replacements, which of course were expensive.
S. Coren, 2004, pages 276-287 (see Review page) described physical health conditions and domestic circumstances, believable to us, that could provoke a nippy self-defense startle reaction from an old dog, hearing, deaf, blind or blind-deaf didn’t seem to matter, that was suffering from limited mobility, chronic pain, arthritis and other miseries - - (And as I get older, I’m not so sweet at times, either.)
Possible pain relief meds: Many kinds of pain relief medications are available over the counter and by prescription. Baby-size aspirin might be used as ‘test’ to discover if a dog’s in pain, as is likely if she perks up promptly from one baby-pill. Ask your Veterinarian to be sure.
Risks of decreasing eye-sight such as cataracts - whitish eye lens- , depends considerably on the breed: Losses of vision are more common in old age. Some can be medically relieved for years. Others require major surgery to prolong pain-free life for years. The ability of blind dogs to live for years in their homes and yards with good people was well documented and impressive - beyond easy description. Support groups are available on the Web.
More vulnerable to certain diseases such as SARDS, PRA, glaucoma, arthritis, and tick-borne diseases: Sadly there are diseases that happen more often in old age, and others that seem to be passive for years until in old age a dog’s natural defenses are no longer as quick and effective as they once were.
When it’s “time”? If there is no hope and your companion is in pain without any enjoyment in life remaining, perhaps it has become time for a long quiet pain free nap.
Grieving: You and they are never entirely alone. The thoughts of other people can be consoling, as they were to me.
***
Will Rogers, a famous cowboy, alleged said:
“If dogs don’t go to heaven, I want to go where they go.”
A Welsh Prayer:
“If there be no room in heaven for this one who was honest, hard-working, wise and kind all her life, then there’s no room for me.”
Dog-Mourning:
Some dogs mourn for their companions and their people, whether they were deaf, blind, deaf-blind or ordinary.
Moving On in Life:
Traditionally, adopting another dog ought to usually be delayed until you no longer are hoping that the new dog will be exactly like its pre-deceasor.
Rainbow Bridge (anon)
A poem sent by a friend. The author is unknown.
I WAS STANDING ON A HILLSIDE IN A FIELD OF BLOWING WHEAT
AND THE SPIRIT OF MY PET WAS LYING AT MY FEET.
HE LOOKED AT ME WITH KIND DARK EYES AN ANCIENT WISDOM SHINING THROUGH
AND IN THE ESSENCE OF HIS BEING I SAW LOVE THERE TOO.
HIS MIND DID LOCK UPON MY HEART AS I STOOD THERE ON THAT DAY
AND HE TOLD ME OF THIS STORY ABOUT A PLACE FAR AWAY.
I STOOD UPON THE HILLSIDE IN A FIELD OF BLOWING WHEAT
AND IN A TWINKLING OF A SECOND HIS SPIRIT LEFT MY FEET.
HIS TALE DID PUT MY HEART AT EASE MY FEARS DID FADE AWAY
ABOUT WHAT LAY AHEAD OF ME ON ANOTHER DISTANT DAY.
“I LIVE AMONG GOD’S CREATURES NOW IN THE HEAVENS OF YOUR MIND SO DO NOT GRIEVE FOR ME, MY FRIEND
AS I AM WITH MY KING. MY COLLAR IS A RAINBOW’S HUE, MY LEASH A SHOOTING STAR,
MY BOUNDARIES ARE THE MILKY WAY WHERE I SPARKLE FROM AFAR.
THERE ARE NO PENS OR KENNELS HERE FOR I AM NOT CONFINED BUT FREE TO ROAM GOD’S HEAVENS AMONG MY ANIMAL KIND.
I NAP THE DAY ON A SNOWY CLOUD, GENTLE BREEZES ROCKING ME AND DREAM THE DREAMS OF EARTHLINGS AND HOW IT USED TO BE.
THE TREES ARE FULL OF LIVER-TREATS AND TENNIS BALLS ABOUND AND MILKBONES LINE THE WALKWAYS JUST WAITING TO BE FOUND.
THERE EVEN IS A RING SET UP, THE GRASS ALL LUSH AND GREEN AND
EVERYONE WHO GAITS AROUND BECOMES THE BEST OF BREED.
FOR WE’RE ALL WINNERS IN THIS PLACE.
WE HAVE NO FAULTS, YOU SEE AND GOD PASSES OUT THOSE RIBBONS TO EACH ONE, EVEN ME.
I DRINK FROM WATERS LACED WITH GOLD
MY WORLD A BEAUTY TO BEHOLD AND WISE OLD ANIMALS DO FORM MY PRIDE TO AMBLE AT MY VERY SIDE.
AT NIGHT I SLEEP IN AN ANGEL’S ARMS HER WINGS PROTECTING ME AND MOONBEAMS DANCE ABOUT US AS STARDUST FALLS ON THEE.
SO WHEN YOUR LIFE ON EARTH IS SPENT AND YOU STAND AT HEAVEN’S GATE
HAVE NO FEAR OF LONELINESS FOR HERE YOU KNOW I WAIT!
To go to the TOP of the page click here