As everyone knows, the life span of dogs is generally around 12-15 years. According to a survey by an overseas authoritative organization, the average life span of dogs is about 12.8 years. Naturally, the life span of dogs of different breeds and sizes is not universal. For example, small and medium-sized dogs live longer than large dogs, and hybrid dogs live longer than purebred dogs. Generally speaking, small and medium-sized dogs begin to enter their old age at the age of 8, and large dogs begin to enter their old age at the age of 6. How to make dogs live happier in the final stages of their short life is a question that most owners are concerned about. . This article gives a brief introduction on how to care for elderly dogs.

1. How to calculate the age of a dog?

The currently commonly used method of converting the age of a dog is the 1:7 method, that is, the dog The age of a dog can be calculated as the age of an adult by taking 7 years. However, as long as you carefully consider this method, you will find that it has obvious logical errors. For example, when a dog is 1 year old, according to this method, the age converted to an adult is 7 years old, but the average age of a dog is 8 months. At that time, they already have the ability to breed and grow. According to this conversion method, dogs can breed the next generation when they are 5 or 6 years old, while humans have not even reached the developmental stage at this age, so Dogs grow and develop much faster than the 1:7 ratio in their first year of life. There are currently two other conversion methods, which are more scientific in comparison. One is that a dog's age of one year is equivalent to 17 human years, a dog's age of two is equivalent to 23 human years, and a dog's age of three is equivalent to 28 human years. years old, and then the ratio is 1:4 for each subsequent year decrease; the other is that 1 dog year is equivalent to 21 human years, and the ratio is 1:4 for each subsequent decrease of one year old. As can be seen from Chart 1, the gap between the 1:7 method and the two previous methods is quite large, and the latter two methods are basically the same.

Chart 1 Conversion list of dog age

2. Nutritional needs of older dogs

Originally, the basic nutritional needs of older dogs are not much different from those of their younger years, but Its metabolism and utilization rate of nutrients has decreased, which is mainly caused by the decline in the functions of various organs. Therefore, in the old age of dogs, the demand for certain nutritional factors will increase accordingly to reduce the burden on the organs. However, there is one more thing that needs to be reminded. The nutritional needs of dogs in their old age are closely related to their health status and fatness. Their nutritional needs cannot be inferred based on age alone.

1. Calories: As dogs enter their twilight years, their exercise volume will be less and their metabolic rate will slow down, resulting in less calorie consumption. Therefore, for dogs in their twilight years, Dogs can be concerned about reducing their calorie intake appropriately. However, for dogs that are relatively slender or whose body weight continues to decrease, it is necessary to appropriately reduce their calorie intake, such as reducing the material fat ratio, to increase the deliciousness of dog food and the utilization rate of other materials.

2. Dietary fiber: For dogs who usually need to reduce their calorie intake, it is appropriate to reduce the ratio of dietary fiber, which can not only maintain the feeling of bloating, but also reduce their calorie intake. It can avoid the common constipation problem in elderly dogs. However, for dogs that are relatively slender or whose body weight continues to decrease, it is not recommended to reduce the fiber ratio too quickly or too much.

3. Protein: As the dog ages, its protein storage capacity will become weaker and weaker, and the original stored protein will gradually shrink, and protein has a negative impact on the dog’s immunity. The system plays a very important role, so the proportion of protein in the diet of elderly dogs should be increased, or reduced by about 50%. However, for dogs with kidney disease, you need to think twice about increasing the protein ratio.

4. Trace elements: The needs of elderly dogs for various trace elements are basically the same as those of adult dogs, as long as appropriate compensation is made. However, it should be noted that for some dogs with health problems, the ratio of trace elements needs to be appropriately adjusted according to the disease status they suffer from. For example, for dogs with high blood pressure or heart disease, the sodium content in the diet must be appropriately adjusted. The ratio is related to expansion.

5. Water: All operations of the body require the participation of water, so do not underestimate the problem of water. For elderly dogs, maintaining adequate clean drinking water is crucial.

6. Others: When people consider the nutritional problems of elderly dogs, they often overlook a key issue, which is the oral problem of dogs. No matter what kind of nutritional factors, the first step to enter the body is It has to pass through the mouth, so even if you prepare a nutritious meal for your dog that is most suitable for it, but it cannot eat it, it will be a drop in the bucket. For dogs’ oral health, teething sticks, canine toothpaste, and toothbrushes are commonly used. Larger pet hospitals also provide teeth cleaning services, but they mustAs a reminder, since teeth cleaning for dogs requires anesthesia first, and anesthesia is dangerous, it is not recommended for dogs with weak constitutions to have their teeth cleaned. In the daily feeding process, pay attention to the deliciousness of dog food, do not feed food that will seriously wear teeth, such as hard bones, etc., and do not always feed soft food, which will lead to the formation of dental calculus; for elderly dogs, we must choose Relatively soft, not very large food to reduce the consumption of teeth; for elderly dogs that already suffer from dental disease, seek help from the veterinarian immediately.

Figure 2 Bomen arranges for dogs Toothpaste and toothbrush

3. General care for elderly dogs

1. As elderly dogs age, their physical storage and organ function will decrease. It gradually decreases, so it is not suitable for dredging with large traffic volume. It is more suitable for dredging such as walking and jogging. In addition, it is best not to let elderly dogs climb stairs for a long time or repeatedly, which will increase the burden on their spine.

Figure 3 As the age increases, dogs Dogs spend less time resting

Figure 4 As the dog ages, the time it takes for the dog to restThe time will be reduced

Figure 5 of a senior dog Relatively quiet character

2. The body temperature regulation ability of older dogs will also gradually weaken. Therefore, during daily maintenance, attention should be paid to climate changes and the ambient temperature should be increased or decreased in a timely manner, especially during the change of seasons. Pay attention. For example, when the weather gets colder, immediately prepare a warm and dry kennel for the dog. When the weather is hot, immediately turn on the fan to lower the ambient temperature.

3. Many elderly dogs will suffer from chronic diseases. In addition to feeding the medicine on time, the owner should also ask the veterinarian about the dietary taboos that need to be paid attention to when taking the medicine.

4. The last and most important point is that for elderly dogs, owners must have enough patience. Compared with their young years, the reaction speed will definitely be slower, and it will not The past was so exciting that you might even be unable to hold back your pee. However, the owner should realize that the dog has been with you for so many years. It has already understood the habits of your family members, and also knows when and what you should do and what is not allowed to do. However, due to the function of various organs, The whereabouts of the situation, occasionally there will be situations beyond our ability. Therefore, giving elderly dogs enough patience and tolerance is the most critical point in the daily care of elderly dogs.

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