The senior dog you adopt could be a healthy old dog and not need a lot of extra vet care or they can suffer from some health problems.
Several Health problems :
It comes with the territory, adopting senior dogs means they will experience health issues, such as like vision or hearing loss.
As with all dogs, it will depend on the dog itself. My first senior dog Arabella who I adopted at 10 was healthy till 18, the last year she went blind but this should not be an issue for a dog, ..if they know the enviromment you can't even tell they are blind. However, they will need assistance once you take them out.
Other health issues to watch for include dental disease, urinary or fecal incontinence or canine cognitive disfunction, or dog dementia, which can manifest as confusion or anxiety in your pet.
Also look for simple things like weight gain, or a urinary tract infection to other more complex diseases like kidney disease and cancer and chronic arthritis.”
It will include more visits to the vet to keep them as healthy as possible. Physical therapy and acupuncture can also help senior dogs who are in arthritic pain to improve their quality of life.
Some health issues will be easy to change for example change of diet and/or other exercise routines, .. always contact your vet to make the best decisions for your senior dog.
Most important, keep an eye on your senior dog, you know him best and will notice if something is wrong, .. follow your gut when it comes to your senior dog .. they count on you.
signed,
a 'Senior Dog' mom-O-Holic