When we bring home a puppy, full of the energy and exuberance that accompanies youth, we hope for a long, happy and fulfilling relationship with the new family member. Even when we adopt an older dog, we look forward to the years of companionship ahead with a new canine friend. However, aging is inevitable for all creatures, and there will come a time when your Gordon Setter reaches his senior years and will need special considerations and attention to his care.
WHEN IS MY DOG A “SENIOR”?
In general, purebred dogs are considered to have achieved senior status when they reach 75% of their breed’s average lifespan, with lifespan being based on breed size along with other factors. Your Gordon Setter has an average lifespan of about 10–12 years and thus is a senior citizen at around 7 years old.
As a dog ages, his world tends to slow down, marked by lengthier and more frequent nap periods as well as other physical and behavioral changes.
Obviously, the old “seven dog years to one human year” theory is not exact. In puppyhood, a dog’s year is actually comparable to more than seven human years, considering the puppy’s rapid growth during his first year. Then, in adulthood, the ratio decreases. Regardless, the more viable rule of thumb is that the larger the dog, the shorter his expected lifespan. Of course, this can vary among individual dogs, with many living longer than expected, which we hope is the case. Gordons have lived to age 14 and older!
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF AGING?
By the time your dog has reached his senior years, you will know him very well, so the physical and behavioral changes that accompany aging should be noticeable to you. Humans and dogs share the most obvious physical sign of aging: gray hair! Graying often occurs first on the muzzle and face, around the eyes. Other telltale signs are the dog’s overall decrease in activity. Your older dog might be more content to nap and rest, and he may not show the same old enthusiasm when it’s time to play in the yard or go for a walk. Other physical signs include significant weight loss or gain; more labored movement; skin and coat problems, possibly hair loss; sight and/or hearing problems; changes in toileting habits, perhaps seeming “unhousebroken” at times; tooth decay, bad breath or other mouth problems.
WEATHER WORRIES
Older pets are less tolerant of extremes in weather, both heat and cold. Your older dog should not spend extended periods in the sun; when outdoors in the warm weather, make sure he does not become overheated. In chilly weather, consider a sweater for your dog when outdoors and limit time spent outside. Whether or not his coat is thinning, he will need provisions to keep him warm when the weather is cold. You may even place his bed by a heating duct in your living room or bedroom.
There are behavioral changes that go along with aging, too. There are numerous causes for behavioral changes. Sometimes a dog’s apparent confusion results from a physical change like diminished sight or hearing. If his confusion causes him to be afraid, he may act aggressively or defensively. He may sleep more frequently because his daily walks, though shorter now, tire him out. He may begin to experience separation anxiety or, conversely, become less interested in petting and attention.
There also are clinical conditions that cause behavioral changes in older dogs. One such condition is known as canine cognitive dysfunction (familiarly known as “old-dog” syndrome). It can be frustrating for an owner whose dog is affected with cognitive dysfunction, as it can result in behavioral changes of all types, most seemingly unexplainable. Common changes include the dog’s forgetting aspects of the daily routine, such as times to eat, go out for walks, relieve himself and the like. Along the same lines, you may take your dog out at the regular time for a potty trip and he may have no idea why he is there. Sometimes a placid dog will begin to show aggressive or possessive tendencies or, conversely, a hyperactive dog will start to “mellow out.”
ADAPTING TO AGE
As dogs age and their once-keen senses begin to deteriorate, they can experience stress and confusion. However, dogs are very adaptable, and most can adjust to deficiencies in their sight and hearing. As these processes often deteriorate gradually, the dog makes adjustments gradually, too. Because dogs become so familiar with the layout of their homes and yards, and with their daily routines, they are able to get around even if they cannot see or hear as well. Help your senior dog by keeping things consistent around the house. Keep up with your regular times for walking and potty trips, and do not relocate his crate or rearrange the furniture. Your dog is a very adaptable creature and can make compensation for his diminished ability, but you want to help him along the way and not make changes that will cause him confusion.
Disease also can be the cause of behavioral changes in senior dogs. Hormonal problems (Cushing’s disease is common in older dogs), diabetes and thyroid disease can cause increased appetite, which can lead to aggression related to food guarding. It’s better to be proactive with your senior dog, making more frequent trips to the vet if necessary and having bloodwork done to test for the diseases that can commonly befall older dogs.
This is not to say that, as dogs age, they all fall apart physically and become nasty in personality. The aforementioned changes are discussed to alert owners to the things that may happen as their dogs get older. Many hardy dogs remain active and alert well into old age. However, it can be frustrating and heartbreaking for owners to see their beloved dogs change physically and temperamentally. Just know that it’s the same Gordon Setter under there, and that he still loves you and appreciates your care, which he needs now more than ever.
HOW DO I CARE FOR MY AGING DOG?
Again, every dog is an individual in terms of aging. Your dog might reach the estimated “senior” age for his breed and show no signs of slowing down. However, even if he shows no outward signs of aging, he should begin a senior-care program once he reaches the determined age or when advised by your vet. He may not show it, but he’s not a pup anymore! By providing him with extra attention to his veterinary care at this age, you will be practicing good preventive medicine, ensuring that the rest of your dog’s life will be as long, active, happy and healthy as possible. If you do notice indications of aging, such as graying and/or changes in sleeping, eating or toileting habits, this is a sign to set up a senior-care visit with your vet right away to make sure that these changes are not related to any health problems.
To start, senior dogs should visit the vet twice yearly for exams, routine tests and overall evaluations. Many veterinarians have special screening programs especially for senior dogs that can include a thorough physical exam; blood test to determine complete blood count; serum biochemistry test, which screens for liver, kidney and blood problems as well as cancer; urinalysis; and dental exams. With these tests, it can be determined whether your dog has any health problems; the results also establish a baseline for your pet against which future test results can be compared.
AH, MY ACHING BONES!
As your pet ages and things that once were routine become difficult for him to handle, you may need to make some adjustments around the home to make things easier for your dog. Senior dogs affected by arthritis may have trouble moving about. If you notice this in your dog, you may have to limit him to one floor of the house so that he does not have to deal with stairs. If there are a few steps leading out into the yard, a ramp may help the dog. Likewise, he may need a ramp or a boost to get in and out of the car. Ensure that he has plenty of soft bedding on which to sleep and rest, as this will be comfortable for his aching joints. Also ensure that surfaces on which the dog walks are not slippery.
Investigate new dietary supplements made for arthritic dogs. Studies have found that products containing glucosamine added once or twice daily to the senior dog’s food can have beneficial effects on the dog’s joints. Many of these products also contain natural anti-inflammatories such as chondroitin, MSM and cetyl myristoleate, as well as natural herbal remedies and nutmeg. Talk to your vet about these supplements before giving them to your dog.
A good remedy for an aching dog is to give him a gentle massage each day, or even a few times a day if possible. This can be especially beneficial before your dog gets out of his bed in the morning. Just as in humans, massage can decrease pain in dogs, whether the dog is arthritic or just afflicted by the stiffness that accompanies old age. Gently massage his joints and limbs, as well as petting him on his entire body. This can help his circulation and flexibility and ease any joint or muscle aches. Massaging your dog has benefits for you, too; in fact, just petting our dogs can cause reduced levels of stress and lower our blood pressure. Massage and petting also help you find any previously undetected lumps, bumps or abnormalities. Often these are not visible and only turn up by being felt.
GDV IN OLDER DOGS
We know that bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), commonly affects deep-chested dogs of all ages. Studies indicate that dogs who are over seven years of age are twice as prone to the condition as dogs half their age. Be extra-diligent about practicing the daily bloat preventives that you always should have been incorporating into your Gordon’s routine.
In addition to these tests, your vet may suggest additional testing, including an EKG, tests for glaucoma and other problems of the eye, chest x-rays, screening for tumors, blood pressure test, test for thyroid function and screening for parasites and reassessment of his preventive program. Your vet also will ask you questions about your dog’s diet and activity level, what you feed and the amounts that you feed. This information, along with his evaluation of the dog’s overall condition, will enable him to suggest proper dietary changes, if needed.
This may seem like quite a work-up for your pet, but veterinarians advise that older dogs need more frequent attention so that any health problems can be detected as early as possible. Serious conditions like kidney disease, heart disease and cancer may not present outward symptoms, or the problem may go undetected if the symptoms are mistaken by owners as just part of the aging process.
There are some conditions more common in elderly dogs that are difficult to ignore. Cognitive dysfunction shares much in common with senility and Alzheimer’s disease, and dogs are not immune. Dogs can become confused and/or disoriented, lose their house-training, have abnormal sleep-wake cycles and interact differently with their owners. Be heartened by the fact that, in some ways, there are more treatment options for dogs with cognitive dysfunction than for people with similar conditions. There is good evidence that continued stimulation in the form of games, play, training and exercise can help to maintain cognitive function. There are also medications (such as seligiline) and antioxidant-fortified senior diets that have been shown to be beneficial.
Cancer is also a condition more common in the elderly. Almost all of the cancers seen in people are also seen in pets. While we can’t control the effects of second-hand smoke, lung cancer, which is a major killer in humans, is relatively rare in dogs. If pets are getting regular physical examinations, cancers are often detected early. There are a variety of cancer therapies available today, and many pets continue to live happy lives with appropriate treatment.
Degenerative joint disease, often referred to as arthritis, is another malady common to both elderly dogs and humans. A lifetime of wear and tear on joints and running around at play eventually takes its toll and results in stiffness and difficulty in getting around. As dogs live longer and healthier lives, it is natural that they should eventually feel some of the effects of aging. Once again, if regular veterinary care has been available, your pet was not carrying extra pounds all those years and wearing those joints out before their time. If your pet was unfortunate enough to inherit hip dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans or any of the other developmental orthopedic diseases, battling the onset of degenerative joint disease was probably a longstanding goal. In any case, there are now many effective remedies for managing degenerative joint disease and a number of remarkable surgeries as well.
Aside from the extra veterinary care, there is much you can do at home to keep your older dog in good condition. The dog’s diet is an important factor. If your dog’s appetite decreases, he will not be getting the nutrients he needs. He also will lose weight, which is unhealthy for a dog at a proper weight. Conversely, an older dog’s metabolism is slower and he usually exercises less, but he should not be allowed to become obese. Obesity in an older dog is especially risky because extra pounds mean extra stress on the body, increasing his vulnerability to heart disease. Additionally, the extra pounds make it harder for the dog to move about.
Let your Gordon set the pace of his exercise. While accompanying you on a skate may have been enjoyed in younger days, he will let you know if it gets to be too much for him.
You should discuss age-related feeding changes with your vet. For a dog who has lost interest in food, it may be suggested to try some different types of food until you find something new that the dog likes. For an obese dog, a “light”-formula dog food or reducing food portions may be advised, along with exercise appropriate to his physical condition and energy level.
As for exercise, the senior dog should not be allowed to become a “couch potato” despite his old age. He may not be able to handle the morning run, long walks and vigorous games of fetch, but he still needs to get up and get moving. Keep up with your daily walks, but keep the distances shorter and let your dog set the pace. If he gets to the point where he’s not up for walks, let him stroll around the yard. On the other hand, many dogs remain very active in their senior years, so base changes to the exercise program on your own individual dog and what he’s capable of. Don’t worry, your Gordon Setter will let you know when it’s time to rest.
COPING WITH A BLIND DOG
Blindness is one of the unfortunate realities of growing old for both dogs and humans. Owners of blind dogs should not give up hope, as most dogs adapt to their compromised state with grace and patience. A sudden loss of sight poses more stress on the dog than a gradual loss, such as that through cataracts. Some dogs may need your assistance to help them get around; others will move around seemingly uninhibited. Owners may need to retrain the dog to handle some basic tasks. Teaching commands like “Wait,” “Stop” and “Slow” are handy as you help the dog learn to maneuver around his world. You are now more than the team captain, you’re the coach and cheerleader! If your blind dog is showing signs of depression, it is your job to encourage him and give him moral support, just as you might for a member of your family or a good friend.
Keep up with your grooming routine as you always have. Be extra-diligent about checking the skin and coat for problems. Older dogs can experience thinning coats as a normal aging process, but they can also lose hair as a result of medical problems. Some thinning is normal, but patches of baldness or the loss of significant amounts of hair is not.
Hopefully, you’ve been regular with brushing your dog’s teeth throughout his life. Healthy teeth directly affect overall good health. We already know that bacteria from gum infections can enter the dog’s body through the damaged gums and travel to the organs. At a stage in life when his organs don’t function as well as they used to, you don’t want anything to put additional strain on them. Clean teeth also contribute to a healthy immune system. Offering the dental-type chews in addition to toothbrushing can help, as they remove plaque and tartar as the dog chews.
Along with the same good care you’ve given him all of his life, pay a little extra attention to your dog in his senior years and keep up with twice-yearly trips to the vet. The sooner a problem is uncovered, the greater the chances of a full recovery.
SAYING GOODBYE
While you can help your dog live as long a life as possible, you can’t help him live forever. A dog’s lifespan is short when compared to that of a human, so it is inevitable that pet owners will experience loss. To many, losing a beloved dog is like losing a family member. Our dogs are part of our lives every day; they are our true loyal friends and always seem to know when it’s time to comfort us, to celebrate with us or to just provide the company of a caring friend. Even when we know that our dog is nearing his final days, we can never quite prepare for his being gone.
Many dogs live out long lives and simply die of old age. Others unfortunately are taken suddenly by illness or accident, and still others find their senior years compromised by disease and physical problems. In some of these cases, owners find themselves having to make difficult decisions.
PET LOSS AND CHILDREN
Everyone in the family will be affected by the death of a pet. Many children form strong bonds with their dogs, so losing a pet can be especially painful. For some children, losing a pet will be their first experience with the death of a loved one. This can present a difficult and awkward situation to parents, who must provide a delicate yet honest explanation appropriate to the ages of the children. Regardless of the child’s age, he should be encouraged to talk about and express his feelings, and to ask questions. Providing explanations that the dog is “asleep” or has “gone away” may cause a child to think that the pet will return or that death is temporary, so euphemisms such as these may be best avoided. Children at different age levels will manifest grief in different ways. Younger children, say between two and six years of age, have less understanding of what death is, while older children, adolescents and teens grasp the concept and may manifest their grief more outwardly, possibly even experiencing denial. At any age, open discussions should be encouraged so that children can express their grief and concerns. Of course, children should be part of the decision of whether or not to get a new pet. Generally, the younger the child, the more readily he will accept a new pet into the family.
MEMORIALIZING YOUR PET
Whether and how you choose to memorialize your pet is completely up to you. Some owners feel that this helps their healing process by allowing them some closure. Likewise, some owners feel that memorialization is a meaningful way to acknowledge their departed pets. Some owners opt to bury their deceased pets in their own yards, using special stones, flowers or trees to mark the sites. Others opt for the services of a pet cemetery, in which many of the privileges available for humans, such as funeral and viewing services, caskets and gravestones, are available for pets. Cremation is an option, either individual or communal. Owners then can opt to have their dogs’ ashes buried, scattered or kept in an urn as a memorial. Your vet will likely know of the services available in your locality and can help you make arrangements if you choose one of these options.
WHAT IS EUTHANASIA?
When the end comes for a beloved pet, it is a very difficult time for the owners. This time is made even more difficult when the owners are faced with making a choice regarding euthanasia, more commonly known as having a very sick or very aged dog “put to sleep” or “put down.”
Euthanasia is the term used for the act of ending the life of a pet who is suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition. Euthanasia is usually accomplished by injection or other medical means that do not cause pain to the patient. The most common type of veterinary euthanasia is that the pet is injected with a concentrated dose of anesthesia, causing unconsciousness within a few seconds and death soon after. This process is painless for the dog; the only discomfort he may feel is the prick of the needle, the same as he would with any other injection.
The decision of whether or not to euthanize is undoubtedly the hardest that owners have to make regarding their pets. It is a very emotional decision, yet it requires much clear thinking, discussion with the vet and, of course, discussion with all family members. During this time, owners will experience many different feelings: guilt, sadness, possibly anger at over having to make this type of decision. Many times it is hard to actually come to a decision, thinking that maybe the dog will miraculously recover or that maybe he will succumb to his illness, making the decision no longer necessary.
When faced with the decision to euthanize, you must take many things into consideration; first and foremost, what is best for your dog? Hopefully you have a good relationship with a vet whose medical opinion you trust and with whom you can discuss your decision openly and honestly. Remember that good vets are animal lovers, too, and want the best for their patients. Your vet should talk to you about your dog’s condition and the reality of what the rest of his days will be like; will he be able to live out his days relatively comfortably or will the rest of his life be filled with pain? Many feel that euthanasia is the way to mercifully end a pet’s suffering.
You have many factors to consider. Of course, you will speak with your vet and will involve all members of the family in each step of the decision-making process. Some of the things to think about include the current quality of your pet’s life, whether he is constantly ill and/or in pain, whether there are things you can do to give him a comfortable life even if he has an incurable condition, whether you’ve explored all treatment problems, whether you’ve discussed the behavioral aspects of your pet’s problems with an expert and whether you’ve thoroughly discussed with the vet your dog’s prognosis and the likelihood of his ever again enjoying a more normal life.
Of course, the aforementioned considerations present just some of the things that you will need to think about. You will have many questions and concerns of your own. Never feel pressured; take time to make a decision with which you will be comfortable. You may want to speak with other owners who have gone through this. If you are religious, you can turn to clergy members for advice.
If you’ve come to the decision that euthanasia is the right choice for your pet, there are a few further, equally heartrending, choices to make. Do you or another family member want to be present with your dog during the procedure? How will you say goodbye? Should you arrange for someone to accompany you to the vet for support so that you don’t have to drive in a state of grief? Again, your emotions will be running high during this very difficult time, so think your decisions through clearly and rely on the support of family and friends.