Last week, we shared some general observations relative to the definition of an elderly dog and expressed some factors that influenced the aging process. Today, let us continue with some changes which take place in the dog, and which effect the animal’s behaviour and physical being.
BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES
Clearly, the elderly dog is less energetic compared to the time when he/she was a puppy or a young/middle aged adult. You will notice that the elderly dog is less curious and not willing (with or without the caregiver) to be adventurous or even showing any desire to go for walks or otherwise accompany the caregiver in any adventure (eg hunting) – that in his/her youth were the high points of the dog’s day. The elderly dog restricts itself to its own desired scope of mobility. He/she is less playful.
They become imprisoned (self-imposed) in a fixed routine which does not call for much movement.
Further:
* They sleep a lot.
* They exhibit a fixation with their own habits (when to urinate; when to defecate; when to give the caregiver the signal for the latter to present food. (N.B: Elderly dogs do not need to be fed more than once a day – at a time preferable to the dog)
* In other words, they do not wish for any changes in their daily routine. Not too much variability of any sort; and if they exhibit variations in their erstwhile behavioural patterns, please do not interpret these unusual caprices as their desire to irritate you. These whimsical, seemingly purposeless inconsistences (for example, defecating/ urinating where they lie) may be a reflection of their unwillingness to waste energy, or even an on-coming patho-physiological change which should evoke the caregiver’s concern. In other words, elderly dogs are just simply intolerant of changes (imposed upon them by the caregiver), unless they approve of an intervention which makes them more comfortable.
* The elderly dog becomes forgetful. This is not analogous to unwillingness. He/she just simply has forgotten to perform a usual task – like bringing in the newspaper. Of course, if it is raining, his/her inactivity is just a plain unwillingness, in a commonsensical way, not to get wet).
* The elderly dog exhibits crankiness, intolerance and irritability for seemingly no reason at all. Is there a similarity with elderly humans? My wife thinks that there is.
* Clients complain that their elderly dogs become hyper-anxious. They bark more frequently to any perceived change in their immediate environment. This latter behaviour can result in the elderly dog not getting the sleep that is needed. The caregiver might wish, upon observation of this development, to reduce the external stimuli and stressors whenever and wherever possible.
I should mention that, in Guyana, there is a novel and positive development, namely the boarding and general care for dogs during the caregiver’s absence for varying lengths of time. While I generally support the concept of boarding dogs in competent and capable establishments, it has been known that the elderly dog tends to eat poorly in such establishments. There are many reasons for this – not lastly the geriatric dog’s inability and/or unwillingness to accommodate the new changes (see above).
In the caregiver’s absence, it might be better to have one’s neighbour drop by as often as possible (even if only once or twice daily). The elderly dog’s veterinarian can be requested to be in constant contact with the substitute caregiver, if and when needed. This possibility may be better than boarding. Dogs, elderly or not, always fare better in their own homes. It is for this reason (as an aside), that even after surgery, I advocate that, post-surgery, the dog awakes from the anesthetic at home, in the presence of its family, instead of being kept overnight in the vet’s facility/hospital until the next day.
You have just read the “Behavioural Changes” associated with the elderly dog. Next week, we’ll zero in on actual physical changes that occur as “Rover”/ “Bella” becomes elderly.
