Everyday changes worth tracking
Eating, drinking and toileting changes in senior dogs
Appetite, body weight, thirst, urination and toileting are useful health signals. Persistent changes deserve attention rather than being dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing.
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Eating and weight changes
Changes in appetite, body weight or muscle condition can be important in an older dog and should not automatically be attributed to ageing.
Not eating, repeated vomiting, rapid weight loss or marked weakness warrants prompt veterinary advice.
Patterns worth noticing
Eating less or losing weight
Reduced appetite or weight loss can have several causes in an older dog, including dental discomfort and medical disease. It should not automatically be attributed to age.
Weight gain or loss of muscle
Senior dogs may become less active, gain body fat or lose lean muscle. Tracking both body weight and body condition helps distinguish gradual trends from sudden change.
Drinking or urinating more
A noticeable increase in thirst or urine volume can accompany several health problems. Persistent change should be discussed with a veterinarian.
New accidents or toileting difficulty
House-soiling can reflect reduced access, pain, urinary or gastrointestinal problems, cognitive change or another cause. A new toileting change should be investigated rather than treated as deliberate behaviour.
Urinary difficulty can be urgent
Repeated straining to urinate, producing little or no urine, repeated unsuccessful attempts or obvious distress requires urgent veterinary attention.