Title: Ageing in Dogs and how we can help them Naturally
Author: Alison Grimston
Ageing in Dogs and how we can help them Naturally
Introduction to Ageing: Dogs, like humans, are living
longer than ever before. In the wild, dogs would have died
young, as soon as they were no longer able to find their
own food and defend themselves against predators. As our
companions, they are living to a great age. Mental and
physical changes occur slowly over this time.
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: Loss of brain function is normal in most
dogs by the age of 16. 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
loosens up stiff joints, improves circulation, and induces
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. It is best to keep to usual
routines, as change causes confusion. Dogs should be
groomed more often as the skin glands will be producing
less oil. 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.
Chiropractic and osteopathy can both help, particularly
with musculoskeletal problems, and massage has already been
discussed. 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.
Overfeeding is the commonest nutritional illness in dogs,
and we need to guard against this and do our best to help
educate caregivers when this is a problem. 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. For
example, comfrey helps with sprains, marigold with
digestive disorders, garlic for upper respiratory
infections and digestive problems, and echinacea stimulates
the immune system.
Aromatics are best self-selected, choosing those to offer
based on any symptoms the dog may have. Homeopathy and
other vibrational medicines likewise would be targeted at
symptoms.
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.TheNatur
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