04/05/2023
❗️Long caption warning!
I had a thought provoking conversation with a lady I met on a dog walk the other day. In summary she had an 8 year old Springer who was plodding along with her. She commented how crazy mine were and how her dog used to love to play but was now “too old” for it.
When I told her Sam was 10 she didn’t believe me.
She was a nice lady who I believe genuinely loved her dog but:-
❗️Her dog was noticeably overweight, BCS at least 4/5.
❗️Her dog was 4/10 lame on her front left leg. The lady said she hadn’t noticed it, that she’d just slowed up as she got older…
❗️Her dog was panting heavily, I suspect from a combination of being overweight, and probably in pain.
To me, I don’t perceive an average 8 year old dog as nearing end of life, (obviously breed, genetics, care and many other factors influence the length of life expectancy) but to this lady, this decline in physical ability and willingness to play was to be expected and was completely normal.
She proudly told me that her dog hadn’t been to the vet since she had her puppy vacs.
Now I can’t stop wondering how many other dogs are living in chronic pain just because their owners dont understand that age isn’t an illness.
Whatever your age, budget or lifestyle when you commit to owning a pet, you commit to caring for them & maintaining their health. You provide the best nutrition you can afford.
You take into consideration their species specific needs.
You must challenge YOURSELF to put your pets needs as a total priority, you must assess these factors regularly and address anything that has changed.
If your pet is limping- it is in pain.
If your pet is in pain, take it to a vet.
Get some pain relief. Make adjustments to your home to reduce the chances of them slipping or hurting themselves further.
Please don’t just write them off because you perceive their problem to be their age. What are your thoughts on this? Should I have told her?
On another note- enrichment is excellent mental stimulation for “older”, less physically able or injured pets, and can also be used as part of a weight management plan.