Three Reasons Senior Dogs Need Chiropractic
How old is a senior dog? Bigger dogs are considered senior as early as 8 years of age while smaller dogs can be as old as 13 before getting a senior discount. No matter the size, chiropractic is important for all senior dogs. These are three main reasons why:
Mobility: As dogs get older, it can get harder for them to move into different positions, jump up on furniture or climb stairs. You may have noticed that they are limping, want shorter walks or don't play as much. Some of these things are just part of getting older but there might be a joint issue, such as arthritis, affecting their function. Many factors determine whether a dog will suffer from arthritis -- including weight, size, sex, and breed -- but over 50% of arthritic cases are found in senior dogs. Animal chiropractic is a natural gentle way to help decrease the impact of arthritis, allowing your pup to function better with less pain.
Hidden pain: Dogs are masters of hiding pain. They want to please us and they also don't want to be seen as the weakest member of the "pack". Because of this, they'll push past pain to play, walk and even follow you around the house. An animal chiropractic examination will determine if there are any joint or spinal misalignments that are affecting your pup's function or causing him or her pain.
Maintenance: Maintenance adjustments are important as a dog ages.* Keeping joints moving better will decrease chronic issues that could arise from slips, falls and injuries. Adjustments also help a dog continue to feel good as he gets older. And he will always love you for that.
Call or text us if you're not sure if your pet could benefit from chiropractic care.
*They're important for senior cats too but that's for a future blog post.