Is my dog getting old?

One of the things we love most about dogs is their enthusiasm for life. Whether they enjoy long countryside walks, chasing a ball, swimming, training, playing with other dogs or simply pottering around the garden, many dogs remain keen to keep going long after their bodies have started to age. The difficulty is that dogs don’t always realise they’re getting older. And as owners we dismiss things like osteoarthritis (painful and debilitating) , as a normal ageing process.  

As owners, we can make a huge difference by recognising the early signs of ageing in order to implement change into their life to support the ageing process. Ageing itself isn’t a disease, and getting older doesn’t automatically mean becoming inactive or uncomfortable. There is a lot we can do to help dogs maintain their mobility, preserve muscle, manage pain and continue enjoying life well into their senior years.

I will often hear owners say, ‘He’s slowing down, but he’s just old’, or “he’s sleeping more, but he’s getting old”. In part, that’s right but being old brings conditions that can cause pain and discomfort and we shouldn’t dismiss this as ageing, but rather address and support our dogs whilst they age so they live comfortably, for longer. So how can we do this? 

Weight: One of the most important factors

If there is one thing that can make a significant difference to joint health, it is maintaining a healthy body weight. Obesity remains one of the most common health problems we see in general veterinary practice. Carrying excess weight doesn’t simply mean more load going through the joints; excess body fat is also associated with inflammation and can affect a dog’s wider health, mobility and quality of life. Many owners understandably assume that more exercise is the answer to weight loss. Exercise is incredibly important for fitness and maintaining muscle, but meaningful weight loss is usually achieved primarily through adjusting calorie intake. Put simply, it is very difficult to outrun a poor diet for dogs as well as humans.

Veterinary teams often use a Body Condition Score (BCS) to assess whether a dog is an appropriate weight. The commonly used scale runs from 1–9, with an ideal score generally around 4–5/9. At an ideal body condition:

• You should be able to feel the ribs easily beneath a thin covering of fat.

• Your dog should have a visible waist when viewed from above.

• There should be an abdominal tuck when viewed from the side.

Even relatively small amounts of weight loss can make a noticeable difference to mobility in an overweight dog. For an ageing dog, keeping them lean is one of the simplest and most effective things we can do to support their joints.

Keep exercising/moving.

When dogs start to slow down, it can be tempting to assume that they simply need more rest. While rest is important after an injury or during an acute flare-up, regular controlled exercise is usually extremely important for older dogs. Movement helps to maintain muscle mass, supports the joints and keeps dogs flexible. Rather than being relatively inactive during the week followed by one huge weekend walk, many older dogs cope better with consistent, regular exercise that is appropriate for their fitness and mobility.

That doesn’t mean your older dog needs to be retired to the sofa. Many senior dogs can continue enjoying walking, swimming, training, playing and exploring. Or just a potter. The aim is to adapt activity to the individual dog and avoid sudden bursts of strenuous exercise when they are not conditioned for it. And remember: a walk isn’t only about how many miles you cover. Allowing your dog to sniff, explore and engage with their environment provides valuable mental stimulation. A slower walk full of interesting smells can sometimes be just as rewarding as a long, fast-paced walk.

Maintain muscle mass

When we talk about mobility, we often focus entirely on the joints, but muscle is incredibly important too. Strong muscles help support the joints and stabilise areas such as the hips, knees and shoulders. Unfortunately, dogs can gradually lose muscle as they age, particularly if pain causes them to become less active.

That can create a cycle:

pain → reduced activity → muscle loss → poorer joint support → more difficulty moving.

Maintaining sensible controlled daily activity can help preserve strength. Depending on the individual dog, activities such as controlled lead walking on varying terrain (supported by a physiotherapist or vet), gentle hills, swimming, hydrotherapy or physiotherapy exercises may all be useful.

Nutrition

Older dogs still need adequate high-quality protein to help maintain muscle mass, so a dog should not automatically be moved onto a low-protein diet simply because they have reached a certain age. Diet should be chosen for the individual dog and any medical conditions they have.

Recognising early signs of arthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic pain and reduced mobility in dogs and I see if multiple times a day! A large proportion of my pet owners assume this is normal, and a normal ageing thing, or don’t believe me at all because they aren’t limping. But arthritis doesn’t always look like an obvious limp and sometimes they aren’t limping at all. (FYI cat rarely limp with significant osteoarthritis because they don’t weigh very much!). 

Some of the earliest signs can be surprisingly subtle. You might notice your dog:

• taking longer to get out of bed

• appearing stiff after resting

• hesitating before jumping into the car

• finding stairs more difficult

• slowing down or lagging behind on walks

• becoming reluctant to jump onto furniture

• changing how they sit or lie down

• sleeping more

• becoming less interested in play

• appearing grumpy or less tolerant of being handled

• licking repeatedly at a particular joint

• struggling more on slippery floors

• scuffing nails on a walk

As mentioned before, one of the phrases vets hear all the time is: “I thought they were just getting old.” Some slowing down is inevitable as dogs age, but pain should never simply be written off as old age. If your dog’s behaviour, mobility or enthusiasm changes, it is worth discussing it with your veterinary team.

Arthritis treatment – why do owners worry so much!

Some owners understandably feel nervous about starting long-term medication, particularly anti-inflammatory medication, because they have heard concerns about possible effects on the kidneys, liver or gastrointestinal system. A lot of my pet owners will give pain relief to their dogs ‘when they’re struggling’ or after a walk. This is because they’re worried about their liver or kidneys and the impact the medication might have on their generally health. So I will often convince owners to give their arthritis pets their antiinflammatoy medication every day! Yes I like to monitor bloodwork yearly but I’d rather my pets are comfortable. In my career I have seen maybe 2 causes of anti-inflammatory toxicity, and I treat thousands of pets. I will also say that I often teach my other vets not to just stop anti-inflammatory if they have any changes on their bloodwork like a raised liver marker. What I’m trying to say is, yes every medication comes with risk, a very small risk! But withholding analgesia or anti-inflammatory medication to a painful dog in the long term will be more detrimental. And in those rare cases where I am concerned about the liver or kidney, where I have diagnosed a condition, then yes we may avoid certain medications but we have other options. 

No medication is completely without risk. However, veterinary NSAIDs are widely used and can make a dramatic difference to comfort, mobility and quality of life in appropriately selected dogs. I have given an NSAID to my cat almost every day for about 7 years. Her bloodwork is perfect. 

I do often advise bloodwork before and a few months after starting long term NSAID treatment, then yearly after. For many dogs, effectively controlling chronic pain allows them to move more freely, maintain muscle and continue doing the things they enjoy.

Common causes of mobility issues and osteoarthritis in dogs 

Arthritis can develop for many different reasons. Some dogs develop osteoarthritis simply as joints change over time, while others have an underlying orthopaedic condition that predisposes them to arthritis.

These can include:

-       Hip dysplasia - An abnormal development of the hip joint that can lead to joint instability and arthritis.

-       Elbow dysplasia - A group of developmental conditions affecting the elbow joint, often leading to arthritis from a relatively young age.

-       Cranial cruciate ligament disease - One of the most common causes of hindlimb lameness in dogs. Damage to the cruciate ligament destabilises the knee and frequently leads to osteoarthritis.

-       Previous injuries or surgery - A joint that has previously been injured may be more likely to develop arthritis later in life.

Not every dog with an orthopaedic condition will show obvious problems while they are young. In some dogs, signs only become noticeable years later as secondary arthritis develops.

Joint Supplements – do they really work?

There is a huge market for joint supplements, and the amount of choice can be overwhelming. Common ingredients include glucosamine, chondroitin, green-lipped mussel and omega-3 fatty acids. Evidence for different supplements varies considerably, and owners should be cautious of products making claims that sound too good to be true. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, have some of the better evidence supporting their use in dogs with osteoarthritis. Supplements will not reverse arthritis, but some may form a useful part of a wider management plan. I refer to them as an adjunct, they work alongside the other treatments.

Arthritis medication

Managing arthritis is no longer simply a case of giving a painkiller and waiting for the disease to progress. The best results often come from a multimodal approach, combining several different strategies to improve comfort and mobility.

Depending on the dog, this might include:

• maintaining a lean body weight

• appropriate daily exercise

• physiotherapy

• hydrotherapy

• changes to the home environment

• anti-inflammatory medication

• additional pain-relieving medications

• joint supplements

• rehabilitation programmes

• injectable therapies

• monoclonal antibody treatments

• surgical treatment for some underlying joint conditions

Some dogs benefit dramatically from one treatment, while others need several approaches used together. There is rarely a single perfect arthritis treatment for every dog.

What about monoclonal antibody injections?

Monoclonal antibody treatments for osteoarthritis pain have received a lot of attention from dog owners in recent years (Librela). As with any medication, they are not right for every patient, and no treatment is completely free from the possibility of side effects. However, they can be a useful option for some dogs with osteoarthritis and many dogs experience meaningful improvements in comfort and mobility. The decision should always be based on the individual dog, their medical history, other medications and their response to previous treatment. It is worth having an open discussion with your veterinary surgeon about the risks, potential benefits and alternative options. My cat oreo has been on the feline equivalent injection for 3 years now and has done incredibly well. 

Home adaptations

Small changes around the house can make an enormous difference to an older dog. Think about the places your dog uses every day.

Could you:

• place rugs or runners over slippery flooring?

• provide a supportive, comfortable bed?

• use a ramp to help them into the car?

• reduce unnecessary jumping?

• place food and water somewhere easy to access? Raise the bowls?

• use a stair gate if stairs are becoming unsafe?

• keep nails appropriately trimmed to improve grip?

These changes may sound simple, but they can significantly improve confidence and independence in dogs with reduced mobility.

Prevention starts earlier than you think

Joint health doesn’t suddenly become important when a dog reaches their senior years. Maintaining a healthy weight from puppyhood onwards is one of the best things you can do for long-term musculoskeletal health. Regular appropriate exercise also helps dogs develop strength, balance and coordination. Owners of puppies are often given very rigid rules about exercise for example, the commonly quoted “five minutes of walking per month of age” rule. There is limited scientific evidence supporting such a precise formula, and exercise requirements vary enormously between puppies. Instead, the focus should be on sensible, varied and age-appropriate activity. Growing puppies should have opportunities to explore, play and develop strength without excessive repetitive high-impact exercise.

That may mean avoiding things such as:

• repeated high-speed ball chasing

• excessive jumping from heights

• forced long-distance running

• very repetitive exercise

• sudden increases in activity

Age is not a disease. 

My favourite one liner. Perhaps the most important message is this: Getting older is inevitable. Living in pain isn’t. Older dogs may need us to adapt how we exercise them, manage their weight, treat underlying disease and modify their environment but that doesn’t mean they need to stop enjoying life. If your dog is slowing down, struggling to get up, becoming reluctant to walk or simply seems different, don’t assume it is “just old age”. There may be much more we can do. By recognising pain early, maintaining muscle and fitness, keeping dogs lean and using the increasingly wide range of treatments available to us, we can help many dogs remain comfortable, mobile and enjoying their favourite things for far longer.