Proper care and comfort for your old dog

Proper Care and Comfort for Your Old DogDogs, just like people, go through stages of growing, maturing and aging. It is important to take a good care for your old pet and provide it proper comfort.

As your dog becomes old it starts to slow down, it is not as active and lively as it was when it was younger. Your old dog may be lying more than it used to, due to lack of energy that comes with age, and you should provide comfortable place for your pet to rest. A sign that your dog is getting old is also graying around face and muzzle. Of course, there is a reduced hearing and weakened eyesight related to age as well which is constant reminder that your dog needs to be taken care of more than usually.

There are several things you can do to provide proper care and comfort for your older dog.

Dog Bed

It is necessary to provide proper dog bed for your aging friend where it can rest and sleep. There are various dog beds available on the market today. You can choose orthopedic dog bed if your dog suffers from aching joint and bones. Such beds have formed high-density foam which provides comfort and additional warmth. There are also heated dog beds as well as heating pads and blankets to provide warmth. This can be necessary because with age dogs lose their ability to regulate body temperature. You must provide quite area in the house for your pet and cool area on hot days.

Diet

Older dogs must be fed with nutritious and balanced diet since they are prone to many disorders related to age. Proper nutrition can retard the aging process. With age nutritional needs of dogs start to change and because they are less active and have slower metabolism they need fewer calories. Diet should consist of high quality proteins, low fat and easy digestible carbohydrates. Minerals and vitamins need to be supplemented to support the aging immune system.

Exercise

It is vital for your dog to stay active. With regular exercise you can prevent obesity in your pet. This way old dog will be more resistant to diseases. Exercising benefits physical, mental, and emotional health of dogs but the type and duration of the exercise must be adjusted according to the age of a dog.

Parasites Control

Older dogs are more sensitive to flea bites because of weakened immune system and dry skin. You should regularly check your pet for fleas and ticks. Also take it to veterinarian to examine presence of heartworm or intestinal parasites. Keep your house and garden clean by attacking external parasites to protect your dog.