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Tiny dogs have a longer life expectancy while giant and large breeds are on the other end of the spectrum biologically, aging faster. When you are caring for an aging dog, there are some things you can do to improve or even extend her life

As dogs age, their nutritional needs and dietary preferences may change. Dog food recommended for senior dogs is usually soft, wet, or canned. The wide variety of soft foods on the market makes it easy to find one to fit your senior’s specific needs, as you will see here.

A quietly shocking truth sneaks up on the luckiest dog people, and it’s this: Nothing compares to the companionship of a senior dog.

As you see your beloved old dog’s muzzle beginning to gray, it’s natural to consider adding a puppy to the household. You’d love for the next generation to learn from the best, and honestly, you’re thinking it would soften the eventual loss to have another dog already in the family.

I had the opportunity to read a pre-publication proof of WDJ contributor Kathy Callahan’s newest book, co-authored with Helen St. Pierre, and I can’t recommend the book strongly enough. Old Dog, New Dog helps dog owners anticipate the potential pitfalls of bringing a new young dog into a home already inhabited by a senior dog—and adroitly steer around them in order to seamlessly create a joyful, trauma-free blended canine family.

Sundowners syndrome in dogs is officially called canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, abbreviated CCD or CDS. It is a degenerative disease that it will steadily get worse over time. Activities, supplements, and medications can help to slow the progression of the disease.

It can be challenging to tell how old a rescue dog is, especially if not much is known about her history. However, there are some strategies that help narrow down a dog’s approximate age.

Selegiline, or Anipryl, is a medication to help senior dogs with signs of cognitive dysfunction. In senior dogs, cognitive dysfunction, or dementia in dogs, often shows up as increased vocalization, sundowners syndrome (confusion and/or agitation that occurs at the end of the day), and general wandering at night.

There is a wide range in how dog tremors appear. Your dog might have just a small twitch in one spot, or the spasms could be widespread and affect a large area of her body.

A dog’s heat cycle is different from a human “period.” Both involve bleeding, but for a dog, it signals a start to a fertility period whereas in humans it is the opposite.

If your dog won’t stop panting or settle down, she is probably either hot, stressed, or having trouble getting enough air or otherwise in distress.

Dog ramps are ideal for young puppies with open growth plates, injured dogs who need to reduce joint strain, aging pups who are losing mobility, small dogs who can’t reach tall places, long-backed dogs who are prone to injuries, and dogs who are too big for their owners to safely lift.