Health Concerns That Commonly Afflict Older Dogs

A very common problem faced by aged dogs is that of abrasions. Scratching and biting the surfaces of the skin causes itches which lead to abrasions. The best treatment for abrasions is herbal treatment. Mix blackberry leaves, rosemary leaves, elder flowers and leaves, witch hazel and apply the mix to the abrasions. Avoid sticky and oily mix as this will keep the skin moist and delay the healing.

Aged dogs often have abscesses. Abscesses result from the outflow of toxins in the blood through the skin. Increased toxicity of blood renders the normal waste disposal mechanism of little use. The body reacts by instructing the white blood cells to dispose off the toxins through the skin in the form of pus. If your aged dog is troubled by numerous abscesses or by frequent occurrence of abscesses, try feeding the dog nothing but distilled water and raw honey. Do not feed more than two to four teaspoons a day. This should do the trick.

Modifying the diet of the dog will lead to elimination of more and more toxins. The diet should now include several cloves of garlic. This will speed up the detoxification process. After the application of the paste, you should apply hot fomentations packs of blackberry or elderberry leaves on the abscess. You can make hot packs made out of chopped garlic or onion or both which have been heated in castor oil. Do not make it uncomfortably hot. The herbs will restore vitamins A, C, B complex and E. These vitamins speed up the recovery process.

Aged dogs are prone to anemia. Anemia is caused by lack of hemoglobin and oxygen in the blood of the dog. This condition occurs due to poor diet, lack of sunlight and constipation, shortage of blood, scarcity of while blood cells or even internal parasites. Just put pressure on the gums of your dog and determine whether the gums are whiter than usual and whether they take longer to become pink again. This is one symptom of arthritis. The dog becomes weak and loses his energy and stamina. Increasing the iron in the diet, preferably herbal additions in the diet will help. Vitamin C, E, B complex and copper should also be given.

Many aged dogs suffer from arthritis. An all-cooked diet, no exercise, non absorption of minerals and lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach of the dog can cause arthritis. The inflammation in the bones and joints may make it difficult for the dog to walk and move.

In conclusion, a diet of the arthritic dog needs to consist of distilled water to clear out the mineral deposits in the joints. The dog should be fed sprouts, raw vegetables, garlic and raw fruits. Acid forming diet should be avoided. Chopped comfrey and parsley leaves can be added to the diet. Further, the dog must be kept in a warm and dry place. It should be walked in sunlight. Ensure that your dog gets vitamins A, B complex, C, D, E, F, calcium, Iodine, lecithin, magnesium, sulfur, potassium and phosphorous in its diet.