Three stubborn myths about senior dogs and what signs for an illness speak.
Berlin “He looks a bit stiff in the morning, but he is just a senior.” Or “She has previously avoided the stairs, but she is no longer the youngest.” Such sentences hear veterinarians every day, because many dog owners believe that their older dog is simply getting in the years. What some do not know: behind supposedly harmless signs of aging can be the gradually occurring but painful illness arthrosis.
Arthrosis is a chronic, progressive joint disease and not curable-however, osteoarthritis-related pain with suitable, holistic therapy can be relieved effectively and in the long term. Studies show that around 40 percent of all dogs (1–3) in the course of their life of osteoarthritis and the associated pain. The disease can occur in all dogs regardless of breed and age, but the likelihood increases, as in humans, in old age.
Four -legged friends are generally very good at hiding their pain. Therefore, the first signs are often overlooked or misinterpreted as a “normal age of ages”. Three myths are particularly stubborn about older dogs, which keep leading to the signs that are reliable. As an expert with over 70 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis wants to clarify.
Myth 1:
“Old dogs are lazy.”
Many dog owners suspect that their four -legged friend's declining activity simply suspects age -related inertia. Often, however, it is not the age that slow down the dog, but the pain. Problems when getting up, avoiding stairs or jumps and staying behind during walks can be signs that the movements cause arthrosis-related pain. Even if the dog plays less or sleeps more frequently than before, this can indicate that movement causes pain and he therefore deliberately withdraws.
Myth 2:
“Behavioral changes are normal when a dog gets older.”
Of course, the behavior of a dog can change in the course of his life. But if a dog is increasingly sleeping in unusual places, suddenly becoming more emptied with touch or aggressively reacting to other dogs or even people should become aware. Such changes can indicate discomfort and thus a sign of osteoarthritis-related pain.
Myth 3:
“There is nothing left to have an old dog treated medically.”
The quality of life of the four -legged friends is also crucial in advanced age. In the case of osteoarthritis, holistic therapy including regular pain treatment can give dogs new joy of movement and make it easier for you to jump into the car or climb stairs in everyday life. Changes in behavior such as social withdrawal and increased irritability can also be prevented. In the meantime there are innovative and well-tolerated treatment options to relieve arthrosis-related pain. Detailed advice from the veterinary practice of trust is the first step to find the best possible treatment for your own dog and thus enable him to have an active and, above all, pain -free retirement.
Basically and regardless of the age of the dog:
“Dog owners know their dog best and usually feel immediately when the four -legged friend is no longer the old one. That is the moment when you look closely. Because there are often serious diseases such as osteoarthritis. It is all the more important not to wait and see a veterinary practice promptly. To enable four -legged friends a pleasant and happy life, ”said Dr. Charlotte Reimann, specialist veterinarian for internal medicine of small animals at Zoetis Germany.
Sources
1. Wright A., et al., JSAP 2022 1-10
2. IHS Markit and Stonehaven Consulting: Market analysis for pain relievers in dogs and cats, animal health, 2021
3. Enomoto M., et al. Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 3; 14 (1)