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3 Common Health Problems In Older Dogs

By: Kelly Marshall

As your dog ages there are certain health problems that you will typically see. It is important to be aware of these health problems so you can educate yourself on how to treat them at home or know when it is necessary to bring your dog to the veterinarian. Some of the most common health problems your older dog will experience include abrasions, abscesses, and anemia.

Abrasions

The most likely cause of abrasions on your dog is when your dog scratches and bytes themselves. This is usually caused because your dog has itchy skin, but it is important to make sure your dog does not have fleas or another skin problem. You can use special herbal treatments such as blackberry leaves, rosemary, and elder flowers to help relieve the soreness of abrasions. Always discuss your home remedies with your veterinarian before beginning them.

Abscesses

When your dog's body is trying to get rid of toxins in the blood, it does so by putting them out through the skin, this forms abscess. If your dog has extremely toxic blood the white blood cells try to carry this toxic waste out through the skin and often form puss filled abscess. If your dog is suffering from a large amount of abscess at one time it may be necessary for your dog to fast for several days, this usually includes distilled water and raw honey only. Other natural remedies that you can include in your dogs food to help eliminate the toxins include garlic cloves; blackberry leaves to put on the abscess, and hot packs. Vitamins that you can add to your dogs diet include A, C, B complex, E, red clover, cayenne pepper, goldenseal, potatoes, and carrots.

Anemia

When your dog has an improper diet it can result in low levels of hemoglobin and oxygen in the blood. Not being exposed to sunlight and constipation can also be causes of anemia. If you notice your dog looking week, lacking energy, or generally acting extremely tired it is possible that your dog has anemia. If you look at your dog's mouth and notice that their gums are whiter than normal, and are slow to turn pink after you press on them, it is a warning sign that your dog has anemia.

Not getting enough iron in their diet is one of the main causes of anemia in dogs, you can feed your dog dissected liver or brewers’ yeast to increase the amount of iron they are receiving. Other foods that you may give your dog to increase their level of iron include: berries, grapes, honey, kelp, and parsley.

Your older dog has special nutritional needs so it is important to talk about your dogs’ health and diet at every veterinarian visit. As your dog ages they will develop a variety of different physical problems than they had while they were younger, if you pay attention to your dog you will notice these changes as they occur and can ask the advice of your veterinarian when you need assistance handling these medical changes at home.

Article Source: http://www.simplepetcare.com/pet-articles

Article by Kelly Marshall of Oh My Dog Supplies - an upscale dog supply store specializing in dog beds and dog feeders

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