It is very difficult to survive the death of a loved one, although dog owners understand that this will happen sooner or later. Dogs in old age are very similar to humans. Their fur is covered with gray hair, movements slow down, they are worried about joint pains. Here are some signs to help you recognize when an animal is approaching death.

Although the movements of an old dog are much slower than that of a young one, they become even slower before death. The dog loses all desire to walk, jump and play for a long time. She can lie for hours in the same place. The dog sleeps most of the time. When she tries to get up, her weakening paws are barely able to support the weight of the body due to the loss of strength.

What to do? Give your pet a dark, cool and quiet corner. It is advisable that other animals do not get there.

2. Involuntary emptying of the bladder and bowels

As death approaches, dogs often lose their ability to control their bowels and bladder. This can happen even in very well-mannered dogs who have never done anything like this in their lives. Diarrhea can also occur, which quickly leads to dehydration.

Read also: We make shoes for a dog with our own hands - patterns and explanations for them

What to do? Make sure your dog has fresh water at all times. Go to your vet and ask him for a prescription for a diarrhea medication. Purchase wet wipes to keep your pet hygienic and clean in the home.

3. Loss of appetite

Due to low mobility in dogs, appetite disappears before death. When the owner gives the dog her favorite treat, she does not eat it, but simply licks it as a token of gratitude. A dog suffering from loss of appetite begins to lose weight quickly.

What to do? Don't force your dog to eat.

4. Violation of muscle control

Older sick dogs have a wobbly gait and suffer from muscle twitching and cramps. Sometimes there is also a weakening of control over the language. In this case, the dog is constantly saliva flowing.

What to do? This is normal for an older dog and does not require treatment. However, the veterinarian can prescribe maintenance medications.

5. Rare breathing

Before dying, many dogs rarely breathe. It can take up to half a minute between exhalation and inhalation. In this case, there may be difficulty in swallowing saliva.

Many people believe that pets, in particular cats and dogs, “feel” the approach of their death and go away to die away from home (supposedly so as not to “upset” the owners).

Well, if animals feel their death, it is not sudden - a lot of feline corpses lie on the tracks. Leaving home before dying is more of a manifestation of depression. When a person is physically unwell, he also wants to be left alone. If animals leave home to die, then none of the naturalists reported about such "cemeteries". The corpses of cats that are found in cities are usually severely injured. The desire of cats to "not upset" their owners is not scientific.

In addition, many cats and dogs die out peacefully in the house where they lived.

Scientists know that animals grieve for their deceased comrades. For example, dolphins and monkeys touch dead members of the pack. But to interpret these stories as the fact that animals pay homage to dead relatives is romantic, but not very scientific. As for the cemeteries in the animal kingdom, it is possible. After all, the custom of burying the dead in the ground arose among our distant ancestors precisely as a way to reduce the appetite of our habitat for predators. In simple words - so as not to attract the main predators of primates to our cave - leopards, which feed on carrion too. By the way, at the beginning of the twentieth century in British India, man-eating leopards appeared precisely after epidemics, when they did not have time to burn the dead, or in mountainous areas where there was not enough wood and the dead were thrown into the abyss with coal in their mouths.

Dogs for epilepsy

There is one more statement - that dogs and cats not only feel where the owner hurts, but also "understand" if the owner dies soon. Here it is absolutely scientific! Pets really "understand" that the owner will soon die if the disease reaches its final stage and the changes in the body are already very strong.

Dogs are trained to warn epileptics of a seizure. Perhaps the main danger to the life of a person with epilepsy is the unpredictability of an attack. Living with the constant threat of collapsing at any moment in convulsions is chronic stress. Because of this, secondary changes occur in the patient's psyche. In addition, the suddenness of an attack poses a high risk of fatal injury.

Not to mention if a person leads an active lifestyle - drives a car, works in production, etc.

And the dogs feel the approach of a seizure in twenty minutes and, naturally, worried - they understand that something abnormal is happening to the owner. After training, they can give the owner a clear signal: say, to take his trouser leg (the hem of the dress) in his teeth or show some other behavioral reaction that the dog does not show anymore under any other circumstances. The person manages to take the medicine, lie down in a safe place, and warn other people.

What exactly the dogs feel in these cases is unknown. Perhaps their keen sense of smell or hearing is at work. Dogs have recently been shown to sense changes in magnetic fields. Such a possibility cannot be ruled out - human magnetic fields have practically not been studied.

Dogs also sense a critical change in blood sugar in the diabetic host. Here it is obvious that their sense of smell is at work.

As well as in the diagnosis of cancer with the help of dogs.

In this case, we can say that the dog has a presentiment of the death of a person, because the success of the diagnosis of oncological diseases is much more impressive than the results of their treatment.

Broken Police Dog Dreams

Suppose the owner of the pet dies after all. Here another judgment arises: as if dogs are sad for a person, but cats are not. A very interesting question - are cats less emotional than dogs? This is an incorrect statement, and the question is incorrect. Based on the duration of the owner's lying on the grave, one cannot talk about differences either in emotionality or in the memory of cats and dogs.

What is emotionality? Emotions are subjective and intimate. We judge the emotions of other people by changes in their behavior, in particular by their facial expressions. Moreover, these judgments are based on the transfer of our feelings to other people. If I cry when I feel bad, then if the other person cries, then he is also bad.

If I wrinkle my forehead when I am puzzled by something, then another person with a wrinkled forehead also finds it difficult to make a decision at the moment.

It is wrong to talk about the weak emotionality of those people who have weak facial expressions. Such people can experience the strongest emotions, moreover, long-term, stagnant ones. They just do not reflect or are poorly reflected on their face.

When it comes to assessing the emotions of animals, it is still more difficult, and anthropomorphisms lead to false conclusions. For example, in a German Shepherd Dog, the inner corners of the eyebrows are raised at rest. This gives the dog's face an expression of sadness. This is a common expression for this breed. It disappears when the animal runs, actively sniffing out something, or chasing birds, or when communicating with the owner - listening to his commands, or instructions, or reproaches. But when the shepherd is not busy with anything - look at the police dog on the street next to the patrol owner - it is easy to tell on its face that it is deeply unhappy, that all dreams have been broken, life has failed. This is a completely wrong conclusion, because we are transferring our experience of perceiving the "white clown mask" to the dog.

Cats have fewer facial muscles than dogs.

And although the behavioral repertoire of cats is no less rich, they also differ from dogs in what can be called a comfortable distance and duration of social contact.

"What do you call the boat ..."

The dog is constantly in skin-to-skin contact with its owner. The morning begins with the dog licking its owner. If he is wrapped in a blanket with his head, the dog will dig him out. Throughout the day, the dog will repeatedly poke its nose at the owner, asking to scratch / stroke. During a walk, she periodically runs up to the owner, looks into his eyes, asks to throw a stick, "kick" bumps, etc. It is different with cats, but this does not mean that they are indifferent to their owners. Here are a couple of examples.

We named the little kitten Affiliation (which in Russian means “affection”, “belonging to a group”). We proceeded from the principle "What do you call a boat ...". As if on purpose, Affa turned out to be a cat of a sullen and gloomy disposition. I do not remember that she ever lay in my lap. If she rubbed against her feet, it meant it was time to eat or change the water in the bowl. Sometimes, as she walked by, she twisted her tail to run it over my legs. That's all, perhaps, the signs of attention that I and other family members received from her.

It seemed that Affa appreciated the shelter and food provided to her, but did not need our society at all.

Once it happened that everyone went on business trips: me, my wife, and my daughter - it just happened so. And the cat was at home one whole day. Of course, she was left with enough food and three bowls of water. The only thing she was deprived of for twenty-four hours was human society. And when everyone - at the same time - returned home, we found a pile of excrement on the surge protector at the computer desk.

This was the only time Affa had shit outside her tray. Remarkable is the place she chose to express her attitude to what is happening - at the computer. The computer desk was the only place in the apartment where each of us, people who lived with the cat, would periodically and often sit for a long time (the toilet does not count, because there was a cat litter box). Thus, Affa demonstrated that she was decisively unhappy with all people at once - to leave her alone for the whole day and the whole night!

It turned out that our human society was necessary for the cat.

She simply did not consider it necessary to inform us of this need of hers with violent caresses, decent perhaps for some puppy, but not for a cat. Let me note in parentheses that the mysterious unpredictability, equanimity and impenetrable appearance - this is what makes cats so attractive to many people, in particular to me. Cats are interesting. Whereas with dogs it is reliable and predictable.

Another example of how much less cats than dogs need time to satisfy their need for direct human contact is the behavior of my cat Shewhart (named after the famous stalker). In the city, he lived in the following regime. He left home for two or three days, returned to eat and sleep, then left again. The return when I was at home went something like this. Barking at the entire courtyard, Shewhart penetrated the stairs through the basement and waited for the door to the apartment to be opened for him.

When he was full, he climbed on top of me. I had to lie down because he did not fit on his knees.

Sitting on my chest, Shewhart turned on the purring mode. The purring of a cat is a sign of its comfortable state. But we can assume that it was he who told me about how everything went with him this time. At this time, while combing his sideburns, I inspected injuries, removed scabs from old wounds and assessed the danger of fresh ones. After lying like this for five or ten minutes, Shewhart went to sleep on some kind of chair. Having slept properly, he thoroughly refueled and asked to open the door for him.

Thus, our physical contact with him did not exceed fifteen minutes in three days. The rest of the time each of us went about our own business, which both he and I had enough. Nevertheless, I will boldly call our relationship close and even friendly. Much gives me reason to assert this. Firstly, these are joint evening walks in the summer at the dacha. Many cats and cats walk with their people. Naturally, at a time when the likelihood of meeting dogs is minimal. This behavior can be explained by the combination of the timidity of cats with their desire to explore their surroundings.

The person guarantees safety. Although, if something frightens the cat during a walk, it will most likely not snuggle up to the feet of a person, will not try to climb into his arms, but will dash into the bushes or a tree.

But Schuhart, I am sure, walked with me out of pure friendliness, because, having made a circle with me along the surrounding lanes and along the boulevard and taking me home, he set off on his expedition, which sometimes lasted several days.

But the main reason why I argue that Shewhart treated me as a friend, and not just as a giver of food and comfort, is his behavior on the examination table in the clinic. Sometimes the injuries that he received during his walks were so serious that he had to carry him to the doctor. In order not to give the cat general anesthesia while Shewhart was young, I held him by force during very painful medical manipulations. But over time, when our feelings for each other grew stronger, I just leaned over to him, and he clutched his claws into my jacket and endured! I endured while the doctor treated the wound. If such behavior is not an indicator of friendly feelings, then at least - exceptional trust.

Thus, it is wrong to interpret the behavior of animals by directly transferring to them the patterns of our behavior (“if I love, I constantly sit by my side”). And to judge about their inner world, about the feelings that they experience, strictly speaking, is generally impossible. You cannot say that a cat or a dog loves this and that, but does not love this. It is correct to use the term "aversive" for the stimuli that animals avoid and "appetizing" for the stimuli they seek. And our business, the business of the owners of cats and dogs, is to love them without any scientific terminology.

Sudden death or natural leaving of the dog is an injury for the owners with whom the pet shared a shelter. According to esotericists, the death of a pet is not always just a sad event. If a dog has died, signs may indicate some changes in the life of the owner or his loved ones.

Death under the wheels of a car

Experts are convinced that if a pet suddenly died, it means that he took the trouble away from his owner and his family members. This applies only to those cases when the dog died a natural death - from illness or old age. If the death occurred through the fault of a person, then the one who took the life of the animal will later pay for it himself.

The sign says that if you accidentally knock down a dog, then this is equivalent to a grave sin, followed by punishment.

Esotericists say: an animal is able to avenge its death: the perpetrator of the incident or his loved ones will have health problems. Sudden death is possible, which can also be caused by the car.

To avoid a sad fate, you need to go to church, repent and light a candle for the health of all relatives and friends, as well as forgive your sin.

If your dog died under the wheels of a car, then such a sign indicates that she helped you or your loved ones to avoid a similar fate. But you still need to be very careful about driving and driving on the road, so as not to become a victim of an accident.

Pet color

The animal dies due to illness or old age, but unexpected death also occurs. In such a situation, the meanings will take on the most diverse, since much depends on what color the coat of the deceased dog is.

Black

If a pet with a dark color died in the house, the family was freed from some otherworldly force. According to esotericists, the suddenly deceased dog took with him damage and all kinds of curses that ill-wishers put on the owners.

By its unexpected death, the animal saved the inhabitants of the house from the destructive effects of the negative program put on them by the magician.

White

The death of a pet with light coat promises trouble. The unexpected departure of a white dog can predict:

• family quarrels and strife;
• break with a loved one;
• the loss of a good friend;
• the beginning of the "black" streak, a period of joyless and unpleasant events;
• betrayal or infidelity of the other half.

Ginger

If a dog with a fiery coat dies in the house - the beginning of financial difficulties. The loss of a ginger pet symbolizes bad deals, layoffs from work, friction with superiors and contracts that will only bring losses. Old friends who borrowed money from you may not pay back their debts. Loss and theft are not excluded.

The ginger dog is a symbol of material well-being, so his sudden death promises a collapse in the field of finance.

Gray

The ash-colored dog is the guardian of the home aura, so his death brings with it problems of an everyday and everyday nature: sudden quarrels with relatives, someone leaving home, conflicts in married couples and difficulties in relations between parents and children.

Schoolchildren and students have problems with peers and classmates, as well as academic failure in school or university subjects.

Signs after the death of a dog

When a pet dies, many people sincerely believe that this promises some kind of change in their lives. According to the signs, actions after the death of a dog can also be fateful.

Burying a dog near your home can lead to family failure and negative change. The spirit of a dead dog can yearn for its owners and even "carry" them along.

Buying a new puppy after the death of a previous pet is no less serious. According to legends, it is worth starting a four-legged friend no earlier than after 2 months, otherwise the puppy may suddenly die or start to get seriously ill. This strangeness is explained by the fact that the deceased dog is "jealous" of the owner of the new family member and does not want someone to take his place.

In ancient times, they tried to burn the corpse of a dog so that the animal would not resurrect and would not harm the surviving pets. Today, hardly anyone believes in such things, the ancestors were not devoid of wisdom, betraying the animal on fire far from home, and this should be followed, even if you do not believe in omens.

In the end, infections and incurable diseases have not been canceled, so it is worth taking care of sanitary standards, especially if the dog died from unexplained causes or an illness that could spread.

Dream of a dead dog

If you saw a dead dog in a dream, then this has many interpretations. Usually dreams of this kind indicate the loss of a close friend or his betrayal, but it all depends on the nuances you saw in a dream.

• a dying or dead red dog - to longing, financial losses, troubles in relationships, quarrels;
• a black dog that died in your dream can mean two things at once: troubles created by your close friend (intentionally or accidentally), and betrayal or complication of relations with a friend;
• a white dog can promise a rejection of romantic feelings and a lull in his personal life. Quarrels and a showdown with a dear person are also likely;
• dreamed of a dying dog who asks for help - soon your friend will be in trouble and ask you to come to his rescue;
• who has a dream about a dead dog is also of great importance. If a girl saw a dream, then this promises her problems in her personal life. If we are talking about a businessman, material losses and unsuccessful contracts are likely;
• kill a dog in a dream - become a participant in actions directed against a friend or loved one. If a dog who lives in the dreamer's private house has died, then the omen says that this promises injury or injury to the owner of the dog.

Conclusion

If a dog dies at home, it is always a great shock. No matter what the signs are, it's hard to lose a pet. To prevent this from happening, you should take care of your pet, contact your veterinarian in a timely manner and create all the conditions. Then the dog will delight you as long as possible.

We know very little about the time of the appearance of the first domestic animals, there is practically no confirmed information about them. Neither legends nor chronicles have survived about that period in the life of mankind when we were able to tame wild animals. It is believed that already in the Stone Age, ancient people had domesticated animals, the ancestors of today's domestic animals. The time when man received modern domestic animals remains unknown to science, and the formation of today's domestic animals as a species is also unknown.

Scientists assume that every domestic animal has its own wild progenitor. Archaeological excavations carried out on the ruins of ancient human settlements are proof of this. During the excavations, bones belonging to domestic animals of the ancient world were found. So it can be argued that even in such a distant era in the life of mankind, we were accompanied by domesticated animals. Today there are species of domestic animals that are no longer found in the wild.

Many of today's wild animals are man-made feral animals. For example, take America or Australia as clear evidence of this theory. Almost all domestic animals were brought to these continents from Europe. These animals have found fertile ground for life and development. An example of this is the hare or rabbit in Australia. Due to the fact that on this continent there are no natural predators dangerous for this species, they multiplied in huge numbers and became feral. Since all rabbits were domesticated and brought by Europeans for their needs. Therefore, we can say with confidence that more than half of wild domesticated animals are former pets. For example, wild city cats and dogs.

Be that as it may, the question of the origin of domestic animals should be considered open. As for our pets. Then, with the first confirmation in the annals and legends, we meet a dog and a cat. In Egypt, the cat was a sacred animal, and dogs were actively used in the ancient era by mankind. There is a lot of evidence for this. In Europe, the cat appeared in its mass after the crusade, but firmly and quickly occupied the niche of a pet and a mouse hunter. Before them, Europeans used different animals to catch mice, for example weasel or geneta.

Domestic animals are divided into two different types.

The first type of domestic animal is farm animals that directly benefit humans. Meat, wool, fur and many other useful things, goods, as well as used by us for food. But they do not live with a person directly in the same room.

The second type is animal pets (companions), which we see every day in our houses or apartments. They brighten up our leisure, entertain us and give us pleasure. And most of them for practical purposes are almost useless in the modern world, for example, hamsters, guinea pigs, parrots and many others.

Animals of the same species can often refer to both species, both farm animals and pets. A prime example of this, rabbits and ferrets keep them at home as pets, but also bred for meat and fur. Also, some pet waste can be used, for example, the wool of cats and dogs for knitting various items or as insulation. For example, dog hair belts.

Many doctors note the positive effect of pets on human health and well-being. We can notice that many families that keep some animals at home note that these animals create coziness, calm down, relieve stress.

This encyclopedia was created by us to help pet lovers. We hope that our encyclopedia will help you in choosing and caring for a pet.

If you have interesting observations of the behavior of your pet or have a desire, share information about some pet. Either you have a nursery, a veterinary clinic, or a hotel for animals near your home, write to us about them at the address so that we add this information to the database on our website.

The gray hairs on the muzzle (how many of them have become), the fur as if dusted with ashes, the once-shining eyes dimmed - Lord, when did she manage to grow old so, our joy? After all, she's got it all ... Is there really so much !? Now what?

Now you just have to wait and thank (as often too late) your dog for everything that she gave you. Only when you see the menacing signs of aging do you remember how little time you spent on it. There was always no time. Sticks with a ball, with a stick - leave me alone, not up to you, we'll play tomorrow. It would be necessary to go out of town with her, take a walk in the wild, but there is no time; that week, closer to spring, in summer ...

Honey, come here, here's your ball! She doesn't want to ... Wow, she doesn't want to run anymore. It turns out that she has shortness of breath and her paws walk like wooden ones. Well, you want something delicious, a piece of cake, do you want? I ate it ... And it seemed that my soul felt better - she is still interested in something.

An old animal evokes so many sad thoughts, so I want to please my old friend with at least something. But unreasonable pity can also hurt, so be careful, as attentive as you were not even to a baby puppy. Old age is not only the extinction of physical strength, but also illness.

Very often, senile diseases are not conspicuous. These young dogs get sick in a pronounced form: the temperature rises, the coat grows dull - it is immediately clear that the animal is ill. And in old age, most diseases are chronic. And the signs are poorly expressed, the disease itself drags on and on, undermining an already weakened organism. And the signs of malaise are difficult to identify. Dull coat? But it itself fades more and more over the years. Eating whims? Mope, old woman, apparently, but the year changes. Upset stomach? Well, age ... And yet ...

Watch your dog for a walk. The fact that she doesn’t run doesn’t matter, it’s really age. But if she moves with labor, carefully putting her paws or even squealing, if she stumbles, then she will have to consult a doctor. In his declining years, the dog begins to be overcome by the same diseases in essence as people. There is rheumatism, and salt deposition, and all kinds of chronic inflammation of muscles and joints. Perhaps the doctor will recommend a course of treatment, or maybe there is no need for this, but you still need to protect your dog. If in damp or cold weather the dog does not move well, complains of pain, gets cold, do not walk with it for a long time - in such diseases, you will not knock out a wedge with a wedge. Wear a blanket or jumpsuit, even if your dog is a solid size, as long as it feels good. When, in sunny and warm weather, she wants to lie on the grass, do not rush, let her rest. In the end, you can and get up half an hour earlier to give the dog a leisurely walk, for pleasure.

Many dogs begin to lose heart, and here, first of all, peace and your benevolent attitude are important. No matter how you rush, do not pull the dog on a leash. Shortness of breath, cold paws - these are frequent companions of heart failure. Sometimes it is better to let the dog rest where it has been caught - sitting or lying down, as it wants - than to drag it home, even if in your arms: this can aggravate the seriousness of the situation. The main thing is not to get nervous yourself and not to frighten the dog. There is still no escape from fate, and although the irreparable can happen to an old dog at any moment, your calmness will only give it strength, but nervousness ...

In old age, the metabolism becomes slower, vulnerable to the action of harmful factors. Some dogs have food allergies. Dogs itch, hair falls out, scratches form on the skin, weeping areas, sometimes even ulcers. All this is not contagious, but for the dog it is extremely painful. The first thing to do is to exclude everything sweet from the diet (if any), limit to a minimum or also exclude fats, chicken eggs. Never, no matter how you would like to pamper your dog, do not give it the leftovers from your table: human food must contain salt, spices, flavoring additives, and all this is harmful to your dog in old age. If you really feel sorry for your dog, give him a tiny crouton (rye or wheat, whichever is more to her taste), a few raisins or apple slices, and other dried fruits. In old age, rare dogs remain addicted to fresh vegetables and fruits, but still offer them fresh ones.

Good remedies for food allergies are calcium chloride solution and suprastin, but medication should be given only after consulting a doctor. Itching can be relieved with soda compresses. To do this, a teaspoon of soda is diluted in a glass of water (preferably boiled) and a gauze swab moistened with v this solution is applied to the sore spot. The procedure is repeated several times a day, when you see that the dog again begins to worry about its scratching. Never wash dogs with sore skin, even with the mildest shampoo. Any detergent degreases the skin and makes it even more defenseless against the attacks of pathogens, and then the inflammation spreads to healthy areas. Carefully disassemble and comb the wool, cut the hair stuck together from the ichor, and wash off the purulent crusts with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Use ointments only as directed by your doctor.

Do not be frivolous even about the mildest eczema (under this name, among non-specialists, there is a whole group of heterogeneous skin diseases): small scratching in a few days can turn into serious lesions of the entire skin, and suppuration will become not only stubborn and difficult to heal, but can lead to a general blood poisoning, and then the dog cannot be saved. As dogs age, teeth often begin to deteriorate. A hard yellow-brown plaque forms on them - tartar. Where it comes into contact with the gums, the mucous membrane is inflamed and ulcerated. To avoid this, brush off tartar regularly. This is done as follows: with an aluminum teaspoon, they hook the stone to the edge (next to the gum) and forcefully hold it over the surface of the tooth. The stone is chipped off in pieces, and you should try to remove it as carefully as possible. Remove soft plaque with a cotton swab moistened with soda solution. The slight bleeding that sometimes occurs when the stone is removed will soon stop on its own. If tartar builds up quickly, you should pay attention to the diet - you probably gave your pet sweets; it is possible that he has impaired mineral metabolism.

In very old dogs, teeth are severely erased, caries occurs (double in the tooth). It is better to remove carious teeth: the products of their decay poison the body, besides, it hurts the dog to eat. It is also advised to remove teeth when their roots are weakened, and the teeth themselves protrude from the gums and are loose. This phenomenon is necessarily accompanied by an inflammatory process. In short, bad teeth are bad for your dog's well-being, especially its digestion, so make sure to keep track of them to make sure they're okay.

Digestion deteriorates in old age very often, chronic liver diseases are not uncommon. Observe which foods are vomiting, diarrhea or constipation after feeding, and refuse to give them to the dog. It may take a long time for you to select the necessary diet, but when you find the right composition of the diet, do not deviate from it a single step. No matter how much your dog loves meat, fish or chicken bones, do not feed them if digestion is disturbed by this. Even a small piece of fat, a crumb of meat can cause a strong exacerbation of liver or stomach disease. For diseases of the digestive system, the most reliable medicine is an individual diet. The stricter you are in this matter, the more years of life you will give your friend. Let this awareness give you firmness.

The average energy requirement of an aging and old dog is 3.2 kcal / g feed, in protein - 22 g per 100 dry matter, fat - 8 and in carbohydrates - 40 g per 100 g of dry matter of feed. The food must be fresh.

Even with normal digestion and healthy skin, do not get carried away with bulky carbohydrate foods - cereals, bread. They strongly stretch the stomach, and one sharp movement is enough to cause it to turn. It looks like this: the dog's belly begins to swell quickly, becomes huge and hardens; the dog groans, thick white foam appears on the lips; sometimes she has the urge to vomit, not abundant vomiting, or rather the eructation of foams!

Take the dog to the surgeon immediately. If for some reason this cannot be done right away, do not let her go to bed. Take your dog outside and walk slowly on a leash. Affectionately, talk to her - she is now in excruciating pain. Raise her to her feet whenever she lies down and continue walking slowly until qualified help arrives. The sooner the dog gets on the operating table, the more chances to save her life.

To avoid volvulus, do not walk with the old dog earlier than 1-1.5 hours after eating, but rather feed it after the walk. Do not encourage the dog to try to jump over obstacles: she does not want this at all, she seeks to please you with her obedience. If the dog eagerly pounces on food, it is advisable to switch to multiple feeding in small portions and cancel the fasting days.

Vitamins are extremely useful for a dog in old age, especially the multivitamin preparation "Undevit". You can also do with oil solutions of vitamins A and D. They are given about 2 times less than the puppy should, and not too regularly (2-3 times a week). Vitamin A will help maintain vision weakening over the years, and vitamin D will help normalize calcium-phosphorus metabolism, which is often disturbed in older dogs.

Excessive emaciation, with skin literally stretched over bones, can be a sign of illness, but not always. Dogs that have lived to such a ripe old age that they have already outlived their own children are precisely distinguished by such extreme thinness.

Over the years, the sexual function fades away, and males earlier lose interest in the opposite sex, although there are not without exceptions. In females, estrus persists until old age. Sometimes hunting periods become very long; the bitch longs for the company of males not 3-4 days, as in her youth, but a week or more. She is ready to mate tirelessly, and this is exactly what she should not be allowed to do, although such matings are sterile. Such abnormal sexual activity is closely related to diseases of the uterus, and if the doctor advises to remove the uterus and ovaries, agree. A smoldering inflammation in the uterus or a tumor growing there threatens the dog's life. Removing the uterus will not only relieve her of severe torment, but will also prolong her days.

Urinary disorders are extremely painful for both the dog and its owners. This may be due to various inflammatory processes in the kidneys, bladder, and urethra. The dog cannot tolerate the urge to urinate and urinates frequently, even during sleep. Such violations are difficult to cure to the end, but the advice of a doctor, of course, is necessary. Bladder stones lead to the exact opposite picture: the dog urinates rarely and with difficulty. Urine flows out in a thin, intermittent stream, drops, often with blood. Urination is extremely painful. And here you need qualified treatment, but the main thing is not to start the disease. Poisoning the body with decay products during urinary retention can lead to very sad consequences.

Oncological diseases are not avoided by dogs. Some breeds are more prone to their development, others - weaker, but with every year the dog has lived, the risk of tumor formation increases. In this regard, make it a rule for yourself at least once every 2 months to carefully examine and gently touch your pet, especially if it is long-haired. Thickening under the skin, like a bead or a pea, especially in the groin, armpits, enlarged lymph nodes in the submandibular region and behind the ears, swelling of the nipples, genitals in males and bitches - these are what should not be overlooked. Such neoplasms are by no means always malignant, but this can only be judged after a special examination. It is quite possible that, having suddenly formed, the tumor will then, as it were, freeze up and will not cause trouble for the dog for years, but its rapid growth is also possible. If the doctor advises to do the operation, do not postpone it - then it will not be! The operated dogs live and enjoy life for more than one year. But do not insist on surgery either - the doctor knows better whether surgery is necessary, whether it is possible to get by with medications, or it is best to leave the dog alone. Just be sure to follow all the advice of a specialist. Do not look at the fact that a yard dog has been running around with a breast tumor for many years without any treatment. Your pet has not gone through such a harsh school as this dog, and he has a lot of vitality.

Well, if your dog does not have any alarming symptoms, that's fine, but still ... take care of it. Do not overload it with walks, however, and do not let it completely stale, get fat. The biggest threat to the life of a beloved dog is senile obesity. The dog spends little energy, moves reluctantly, and the owners feed and feed it all. The thinner your dog is, the easier it is. Skinny dogs are not so prone to senile sores, they do not have problems with the coat, as a rule, their heart does not hurt, and the intestines work better than overfed dogs.

No matter how good the dog feels for its age, try to make fewer drastic changes in its life. Unaccustomed food, new places of walking, acquaintances - all this can give an impetus to rapid extinction. In their declining years, most dogs also become jealous. The owner's interest in other animals, strangers in the house - and the old man feels abandoned, lonely. In this situation, a neat dog, who since childhood properly asked to go outside, can suddenly pour a puddle at home; the affectionate dog suddenly begins to bark hysterically and rush at the guests. Don't blame the dog. She feels bad, as she feels that her strength is leaving, and begins to be afraid of something. Caress her, let her be confident in the invariability of your love, do not get tired of showing her how dear she is to you every day.

An old dog means chores, excitement, work. She is sick, naughty, she smells bad. Either you cannot stir her up and for the whole day, then you cannot calm her down. Be patient. After all, all his life the dog did what you wanted, served you and was happy with that; now you serve her too. How the days go by, how little time is left to be together.

Sometimes life leaves the dog easily and quickly: it falls asleep. But it happens that her sufferings last for long weeks and months and every moment of her existence is painful. Paralysis, unbearable pain caused by a growing tumor are possible, while the animal can remain fully conscious or, on the contrary, can no longer perceive almost any signals from the outside world, plunging into its pain. The dog's torment torments its owners too. Their desire to help is great, but salvation is impossible.

The only thing that can be done for an afflicted dog is to end its suffering. Just don't say it's inhumane. Is it really more merciful to let your beloved dog rot alive, endure unbearable pain ?! Understand that euthanasia (easy death) is a blessing for a dog worn out by an illness. It is difficult to decide on this, but in certain circumstances it is necessary. When you see that there is no other way out anymore, be with your darling until the very end. Do not leave her in the hands of strangers, no matter how quickly they promise you to end her torment and no matter how sensitive you are. It is your love, your affection, kind words that should become the last feelings of your leaving friend. Do not leave him alone in this terrible moment, let your hand rest on his cleanup - this is your duty and your last gift.

You cannot imagine what will happen when ... Yes, it will be very difficult. The clatter of claws will appear in a dream and will make you wake up more than once, but when you call, you will remember that there is no one else to poke a cold nose into your hand. At the usual time, you will come to the door and, taking the leash in your hands, stand like that for a long time. You will say to yourself: "What a stupid sentimentality, because she has lived a long time (but how my heart aches)." Every evil word, every accidental insult inflicted on her will be remembered many times by you in the dead of night, when the house is so quiet. How to moderate this pain, how to drown out melancholy?

There is only one sure way - to have a puppy. Do not rush to swear to yourself: no, I will never have another dog! She must be! What can you do if the term of life is so unequally allocated to them and to us. The new puppy will bring new troubles, puddles and torn slippers ... He will grow, will be more beautiful and smarter. Do not worry, he will not overshadow the image of that very first and best dog in the world. It's just that it will be completely different ... Yes, they cannot be compared. But if you still want to avoid comparisons, choose a different breed, a different gender. Or maybe it is better to take one of the descendants of your first favorite: some of her features will suddenly appear in a funny baby, and she seems to return to your house.

It is a great happiness if the old animal retains goodwill and interest in other dogs, especially young ones. Then you have the opportunity to brighten up her loneliness by bringing a little puppy to the house. The benefit can be mutual: the baby will not be afraid to stay at home while the owners are at work, and the old man will be interested in tinkering with him, he will have an additional incentive to life. However, be extremely attentive to your pets - if the puppy starts to annoy the "pensioner", a conflict may arise, as a result of which the puppy will suffer physically, and the old man will suffer mentally. Therefore, before bringing the puppy into the house, give the old dog the opportunity to interact with the baby of one of your friends. If your old man likes this communication, start a puppy without hesitation.

Many, having parted with the first dog, say to themselves: never again. The house of some of them remains empty. Aren't they watching with hidden sadness after the lucky ones who walk with their four-legged friends along the street? These people were afraid of a new separation and deprived themselves of many years of happy communication in the second, with the third dog. Now they regret it, but time is running out, the strength is not the same ...

Don't make that mistake, look into the eyes of this puppy. He is looking for his master, his friend. The genus of dogs should not part with the genus of people!