Owners of older dogs need clearer guidance, study finds
Owners can struggle to tell if changes are due to old age or a treatable condition.
A new study has found that owners of older dogs need better guidance on how to recognise whether a behavioural or physical change is a symptom of a serious condition or just part of the ageing process.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool conducted a series of in-depth interviews with 15 dog owners and 11 veterinary professionals (eight veterinary surgeons, two veterinary nurses and one physiotherapist). Responses were also collected from 61 dog owners using an online survey.
They found that most changes in older dogs were understood by owners as just being part of old age, even when they were actually treatable. It was also revealed that many older dogs were no longer vaccinated or attended checkups.
To improve understanding of older dog health, participants suggested that questionaries to flag up potential issues and evidence-based information online could be used to help owners recognise when veterinary care was required.
The care of elderly dogs is receiving more attention owing to the Old Age Pets project, funded by BSAVA PetSavers. The project recently published the BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Canine Toolkit.
Improvements in welfare standards and healthcare mean that dogs are living up to twice as long as they did 40 years ago.
Dr Lisa Wallis, one of the co-authors of the study, said: “The results of our study have revealed that age-related changes observed by owners were mostly perceived as ‘just old age’, and opportunities to educate owners on what behavioural and physical signs represent normal or “healthy” ageing, and what is pathological are being missed, due to lack of time, education, and in some cases motivation.”
Another of the co-authors, Professor Carri Westgarth, added: “As most owners did not feel prepared for their dogs’ ageing, the possibility of reduced welfare in aged dogs is increased. Significant gaps in veterinary professional and dog owner communication were identified requiring urgent intervention. The development of a new guidance tool could address these gaps, to guide on best practice discussions in consultations with senior dogs and encourage more owners to seek veterinary advice.”
The study has been published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
