Senior dog?

[Autumn & Lola]

According to the West Highland White Terrier Club of America, a Westie generally enters senior years at age seven. Lola is now 7 1/2. (Wow, how time flies!) I've noticed some signs of slowing down a bit this summer.  Although she still runs around like a lunatic, it's not as often or as frantic as when we got her five years ago. I've noticed she takes more naps, and likes to sun herself in the garden more than she ever did. She is also looking a bit heavier, but that may be her hair, since we haven't had her trimmed in several months. She's always been within a few ounces of her original adult weight.  She doesn't appear to be achy and her hearing and sight seem fine. When I mentally compared her to 'Fake Lola' last week, she seems positively youthful and spry, but I know that she's not quite the ball of fire nutcase she once was.

I'm wondering if we should start her on senior food. She'll have her annual check-up next month so I will certainly ask the vet. However, I was wondering when you all started your dogs on senior food, if in fact you did?  Did you also cut down on the treats and/or people food? (The only people food she has at present are peas, carrots, tomatoes, a bit of cheese, boiled chicken, fish and the occasional piece of hamburger or steak, but certainly not all in one day. )

[Sam I Am]

I don't for one minute think 7 is a senior dog! How ridicules for some vets to even say that.  Especially when you have a perfectly healthy fit dog. Sure they are getting older, so are we, but does that mean we should eat slop or have a special diet. NO! Feed "REAL" Lola, fresh meat, greens &veggies, blueberries,  fish oil, calcium. As with us a lot of longevity is diet and exercise. And forget about vaccinating  every year, that is also myths of the past.

I thought I had better add this as one can assume by my posts, that I  am all for natural diets, however there certainly are dog foods out there that I would not hesitate to feed my dogs, Orjen and Acana, (both made by Champion foods). But if I did feed a very good quality of kibble, I would definately supplement with some fresh foods. I know this is a hot topic with many opinions here on this forum. This is just mine.

Watch this. Pretty interesting stuff. 

 

Edited September 22, 2016 by Terrier lover

[Hillscreek]

Agree 7 is not old for terriers who live into their mid to late teens often, perhaps even usually.

All my dogs of several breeds never got any different food all their lives. Am certainly senior myself and eat the same as I always did.

Lola baby you are barely grown up. Relax and enjoy food and life.

[Idaho Cairns]

We have one dog that is 13 and one that is 7 and we feed standard kibble.  We've gone that "senior" food routine in the past and have found that the "junior" dog preferred the "senior" food and the "senior" dog preferred the standard food.  Since our dogs graze, no particular time they choose to eat and we are not inclined to monitor the dogs when they eat--our compromise is regular food for both.

 

[hheldorfer]

I wouldn't change a thing unless Lola seemed to be having trouble with her current menu.  You're still a young lass, Lola!

[Rylee's mama]

I agree with Helene, I wouldn't change anything unless she is having issues with her current food. Your aren't close to old! Don't lose that youthful energy! 

[_whits_]

I think, as long as the food is quality and you're seeing good results, you should be able to feed it for the duration of Lola's life. Addie's vet in Virginia and my dad suggested adding a glucosamine supplement to Addie's diet, which I think is a good idea for joint health as they age (not that Addie's old at 5, or Lola even is at 7). I'd maybe discuss with your vet or look into Westie heath to see if there are any supplements you could add that might help prevent or lessen the effects of any likely genetic issues as she ages. I'm not a big fan of the idea of "senior diets;" but I do think it's appropriate to change diets when age results in a health issue best treated by a special diet (kidney disease, diabetes, etc). As for cutting down on food, I think that's both a conversation for your vet, and I'd say a conversation between Lola and the scale. Senior dogs tend to weigh more because they're slowing down moving but their families aren't slowing down feeding. I think it's particularly important for dogs to keep a healthy weight as they age, cause I mean even at 30 I know an extra pound here or there does not make my joints happy (not that I listen to my own advice very well). 

I've asked my dad about the senior at 7 thing. He's a general veterinarian and his passion is primarily geriatric dogs. I can't speak directly for him, but based on the conversations we've had, he's told me that the age 7 thing is the average of when all dog breeds hit middle age. It's a marker that's easier to remember for pet owners in general (instead of being like terriers are seniors at X age, and mutts are seniors at Y age, and Newfoundlands are seniors basically once they're born, etc., etc.) and is a way to encourage pet owners to visit veterinarians more than just for vaccinations and be aware that there could be more serious issues coming down the pipeline. Hopefully most vets aren't telling every dog owner their dog is a senior at age 7. My dad's likely to remind them around that time that their dog is getting older and issues that pop up are going to be different than when they were younger, but won't have a "your dog is a senior citizen" conversation until it's relevant to that particular dog (so that conversation could range from age 5 to 13, depending on the breed and the dog). 

My family has had dogs since before I was born and I don't recall any one of them switching to "senior food". However, I do recall every one of them switching diets at some point in their older age to address a specific health concern (one had kidney issues by age 12, one was having teeth and gum issues by age 8, one was switched to a super fatty diet just to keep her eating by the time she made it to 17). 

[Autumn & Lola]

Thank you everyone for your input (and for the great video, TL!).  I don't consider Lola a 'senior', either, but I've now read it on several sites, so I was questioning it.  I also calculated her age on three different sites, and it says she is 46. *Ahem* Three years her senior, I don't consider myself anywhere near senior!  I will continue with her regular food until there is a problem, if ever.  I will also keep an eye on her weight. Luckily she is not food-driven, so cutting back a little if necessary most likely won't be a problem.

She made a liar out of me last night after I posted that she was slowing down a bit. She ran through the kitchen into the living room, up two flights of stairs, back down again and almost upturned the table on which I had laid out tons of beads for jewelry making.  She was just a flash of white fur and feet. She showed me, I guess.

 

Edited September 23, 2016 by Autumn & Lola

[pkcrossley]

clearly 7 is not senior for cairns/westies, and nowhere near senior for lola. as whits said, there are specific concerns for many dogs who are truly senior (old enough to get stiff, have cataracts, have kidney and bladder problems). i do think there is some value in shifting away from higher protein diets in older dogs (for terriers, let's say 12 and older), since higher protein is a pretty serious load on the pancreas, kidney and liver. less fish and turkey, even less chicken, more beef and lamb, more sweet potatoes and oatmeal. it doesn't necessarily mean moving to a "senior" food, since many adult and puppy foods are not based on fish, turkey and chicken anyway. lola is in the prime of life and will be for many years!

[Autumn & Lola]

Thanks PK and everyone for your thoughts!

So funny that I posted this thread just a few days ago and today (ahead of Lola's annual check-up in October), I received a letter from the vet stating that Lola is now entering her senior years, and to book a senior assessment, with an invitation for her to join their 'Golden Oldies' clinic. (Lola was highly insulted when I read it to her.) There is a questionnaire to fill in and submit at the appointment. Some of the questions were clearly not written with a terrier in mind!   Does your pet get distracted easily?  Does your pet bark often for no reason? Does your pet seem highly-strung or, do they seem bored often?  Yup, yup, yup and yup.

 

[_whits_]

10 hours ago, Autumn & Lola said:

I received a letter from the vet stating that Lola is now entering her senior years, and to book a senior assessment, with an invitation for her to join their 'Golden Oldies' clinic. (Lola was highly insulted when I read it to her.)

Ugh. I'm right along with you and the insult Lola. I get the sentiment to want to have pet owners aware that there are special concerns as a dog ages but I don't like it when there's a one-size-fits-all approach and a clear money-making angle. 

I get it. I appreciate the sentiment of wanting owners keeping an eye out for aging.  

Indeed my biggest trouble working at my dad's clinic and why I turned down his offer of vet school and eventually running the clinic was the dog owners who did not care about their pets. The ones who come in when they're hit by a car to put them down, or when the parasites get so bad and then they don't want to do anything, and who clearly have the money but don't think a dog is worth the effort. Those owners made me realize I could never be a vet. It took everything in me not to scream at them and take their dogs ... And my frustration made my dad understand why I would probably drive his business to bankruptcy saving every dog regardless of what their owners wanted.

So sure, I'd much prefer an unnecessary Golden Oldie program over negligent owners. But still, with responsible loving dog owners it's more reasonable to enter them into the "Golden Oldies" when that particular dog is actually a senior. 

Okay, off my soapbox. I'm sure your vet is lovely and more than qualified I just don't like seeing dogs aged before their time (also, what about the breeds that are seniors or even passed on before age 7?!?) .

LOLA you show the world you're just getting started baby!

[pkcrossley]

evidently with dogs as with humans, there is clear advantage seen in moving as many individuals as possible into the "senior" bracket, where everything costs more and markets for all kinds of "special" food, activities and gadgets can be conjured. AARP writes to 50 year olds bombarding them and advice about long-term care policies and specially-prepared vacation agenda, annuities, large-print books... these are people who are maybe half way through their probable life span. a 7 year old terrier is probably not even that far along. but never too early for the special diets, supplements, "senior" visits to vets that can be flogged to everybody old enough to have lost their baby teeth. lola should save her money by sticking with the hum-drum non-senior unspecial products and services. 

[kieiras mom]

Senior think not, especiallly when keira goes after anything that moves,makes a noise or when papa comes home. My vet said that Keira needs to see him  for regular shots and  then I sense a problem or an accident. Maybe he is just an older (my age)  vet,