Older Dogs and Natural Therapies

Like humans and many of our pets, dogs are living longer than ever these days. Dogs that would have died young in the wild when they were no longer able to defend themselves or find food are now living to a great age. Over this period of time there are slow changes in both mental and physical health.

In this article, I am going to outline some of the major physiological changes that occur, some ways in which we as caregivers can help them, some of the illnesses that affect older age groups, and some therapies that may be helpful.

Physiological Changes in Ageing: The nervous system: Messages travel down the nerve fibres of a dog in its prime at 6,000m per second. In older dogs these slow down to 1,300m per second.

The lungs: The lung tissue loses its elasticity with age, reducing the efficiency of respiration.

The circulatory system: The blood vessels lose their elasticity, making small haemorrhages more common e.g. in the brain tissue.

The brain: The consequent lack of oxygen to the brain reduces memory and learning. It can also affect personality and irritability.

Signs of Ageing: By the age of 16, most dogs will have lost some of their brain function. They may show signs of disorientation, changes in social relationships, changes to their diurnal rhythm, and incontinence. By the age of 16, 20% of dogs pass urine or faeces in the house, 25% of dogs sleep less at night and more in the daytime, and 60% interact less with their human companions (although they may go through a phase of increased attachment). More than 70% are disorientated, getting stuck in corners, going to the wrong side of the door when asking to go out, barking for no reason, and gazing into space. Neutered males get less aggressive with age, but neutered females tend to get more so.

Hormonal control and Ageing: Elderly dogs tend to secrete more stress hormones, even when relaxed. Training them to be more relaxed can help give them more control in later life. There is also a general reduction in brain neuroendocrine chemicals, especially dopamine.

How we can help with Ageing Dogs: We can help slow down ageing by gentle mental and physical stimulation. Massage has several benefits - it can improve circulation, loosen up stiff joints and induce relaxation. Mental stimulation can increase the number of connections between neurons in the brain.

Feeding a diet high in antioxidants and vitamins can help. An older dog needs about 20% fewer calories, and some dogs gain weight with maturity. As always, any change in diet should be made gradually.

We as care-givers need to accept that our dog is ageing.

Over-exercising does more harm than good, so we need to allow the dog to set the pace. Older dogs can become confused by a change to the usual routines. As the skin glands produce less oil with age, more frequent grooming will help your older dog. Consider brushing its teeth daily, and provide more frequent toilet breaks.

Complementary Therapies and Ageing: Acupuncture can be particularly helpful with the pain of arthritis etc. Like acupressure and shiatsu, it also reduces pain by relaxing muscles.

T Touch therapy is a touch therapy that can be learned by the care-giver, and can be very calming in anxiety as well as helping many stress -related problems - which, as we now know, can give any symptom.

Musculoskeletal problems can also be helped by osteopathy and chiropractic, as well as massage as discussed above. All these touch therapies are beneficial mainly in animals that enjoy touch, and can increase stress in those that do not.

Nutritional therapies involve altering the diet slightly to benefit the dog. The role of diet in helping ageing has already been discussed. It is notable however that when a dog declines to eat, for example during an infection, it does so for good reason, (such as to starve the invading organism, and concentrate energy on the immune system rather than digestion,) and should not be forced. The commonest nutritional problem in dogs is overfeeding, causing obesity, and it is important for us to help our animals and help educate caregivers where this is problematic. However, beware that any strict, unbalanced diet given over a prolonged period of time may lead to malnutrition.

Herbal remedies can help with specific ill health. Examples include comfrey to help ease sprains, marigold for digestive disorders, garlic for respiratory infections and digestive upset, and echinacea for stimulating the immune system.

Aromatics are best self-selected, choosing those to offer based on any symptoms the dog may have. The nature of homeopathy and other vibrational medicines leads to them being more effective when targeted at the whole spectrum of symptoms and personality rather than at a single region of the body.

The beauty of spiritual healing and Reiki is that the dog will take whatever healing energy is needed, without a specific diagnosis being made. It is absorbed into whatever parts of the body, mind and spirit require it, stimulating its immune system and other natural means of self-healing. It can help with physical, emotional and psychological conditions. As the dog nears the end of its life, healing can help both the dog and its caregivers to come to terms with this, which helps with the process of passing over and with bereavement. Healing can be supplemented with use of crystals such as amber and carnelian.

Summary: In this article I have discussed the physiological causes for the signs of ageing that we see, the symptoms & signs experienced, and ways in which we can help, particularly touching on complementary therapies.

About the Author:

Alison Grimston is a holistic doctor and animal healer specializing in connecting and informing animal therapists. Her natural animal therapy website informs the public about animal therapies while connecting animal therapists worldwide. http://www.TheNaturallyHealthyPet.com

Incontinence In Dogs: Tips For Helping Your Elderly Dog

Is incontinence in dogs becoming a problem in your home? Perhaps you've noticed that your elderly dog has been leaving puddles of urine behind when she gets up from a nap. She may even be dripping urine all the time. Dog incontinence may become a problem for an aging dog. What causes this problem, and what can you do to help?

What Causes Dogs To Become Incontinent?

There are a number of reasons this may become a problem in your older pet. The most common reason for a female dog is that her estrogen levels are going down as she gets older. Less estrogen leads to less muscle tone, especially in her bladder. This is more than likely the problem if the only time you notice the problem is when she's sleeping or relaxed.

For male dogs, it's more than likely that canine bladder stones are the problem, not declining hormone levels. Your vet will want to rule out any possible physical problems before assuming that he's incontinent due to lower testosterone levels.

Canine urinary tract infections are also a very common cause of incontinence in older pets. Cystitis in dogs causes your buddy to need to urinate more frequently. Due to irritation in her bladder, she just may not be able to hold it long enough to get outside. If she's drinking more water than she normally does, this is another sign of a canine bladder infection. Blood may also be present in her urine, although you may not notice it.

Canine diabetes, Cushing's disease in dogs, and kidney failure can all cause incontinence in dogs. Cancer is on the rise in older pets, so it's wise to be aware of the warning signs of this disease. If you see that your pet is bleeding from the urinary tract, take her to the vet right away for a check-up. The sooner any of these diseases are diagnosed, the better the outcome is.

Natural Remedies For Dogs Can Prevent Dog Incontinence

As your pet gets older, canine incontinence can become a problem. If your vet has ruled out anythng serious like canine diabetes, or bladder cancer in dogs, you may want to think about putting her on a natural remedy for pets that helps to maintain urinary tract and bladder health.

You'll want to look for a remedy that contains berberis, also known as barberry. This herb has a restorative effect on your pet's bladder and urinary tract. Plus it gives her immune system a boost, which will help her to fight off canine cystitis.

Uva ursi has a long history of use in humans for bladder problems. This herb is helpful in maintaining normal ph levels in the bladder, which helps to prevent urinary tract infections. It works well with pets, too.

The homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagris are useful for maintaining bladder health.

You'll want to find a remedy formulated especially for pets, not people. It's best to deal with a company with a great reputation for providing the high quality pet products.

Help prevent incontinence in dogs from becoming a problem for your aging pet. If your old friend is already showing signs of incontinence, don't wait to start her on a good quality natural remedy for pets right away.

Abut the Author:

Darlene Norris has combined her experience working at a vet clinic with her long-time interest in natural healing to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Learn how you can prevent and treat dog incontinence with the best natural remedies for dogs at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com