14 Older Dogs and the More Common Health Afflictions By Jeff Nenadic At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

When an older dog bites or scratches their skin surface, itching is the typical result, which eventually leads to abrasions - a common health affliction of older canines. An herbal treatment of blackberry leaves, elder flowers, and rosemary leaves mixed with Witch Hazel is the recommended course of action when this occurs. Take care to Avoid using oily and/or sticky mixes since these will keep the skin moist therefore delaying the healing process.

Abscesses are a very common occurrence in older canines and these normally result because of toxins in the dog's blood that finds a way to seep through the skin layers. The dog's waste disposal system is rendered useless due to increased toxicity levels in the animal's blood supply. Once the levels are elevated to a certain point, the dog's body instructs the white blood cells to attack and these toxins are cast off through the skin of the animal in the form of pus.

Should the dog develop a frequency in the occurrence of abscesses, then feed them nothing but distilled water with raw honey mixed in. Do not exceed dosing them more than two to four teaspoonfuls daily as this should correct the issue. Remember too, that dietary modifications can also help eliminate excess toxins and prevent the future build-up of any more. Make sure that you include several cloves of garlic in their diet which will enhance their detoxification processes.

A good follow-up procedure is to apply hot blackberry or elderberry leaf compresses directly to the abscess. You can also make hot compresses of garlic and/or onion which have been heated up in castor oil as well. Both remedies are very effective as treatments for abscesses in canines. Take care not to make the compresses excessively hot as this will cause the dog more discomfort. These herbal treatments not only enhance the dog's recovery process, but they add also help to restore vitamins such as A, B complex, C, and E.

Anemia is another health affliction that older dogs encounter and is caused by decreases or a lack of hemoglobin and oxygen in the animal's blood. Anemia can be caused by any of the following (or a combination of any of these):

constipation

internal parasites

lack of sunlight

poor diet

scarcity of white blood cells

shortage of blood

A quick check for anemic conditions in the dog involves applying pressure to the gums until they turn white, and then seeing how quickly they return to the normal pink hue. It is also a sign that the dog has developed an arthritic condition as well. Loss of stamina and an onset of weakness are definitive signs that anemia is present so herbal additions to the diet and an increase in the supply of iron is oftentimes the recommended course of action. Additionally, you should add Vitamins A, B complex, C, Copper, and E to their diet as well.

Arthritis usually becomes apparent in dogs that encounter any to all of the following:

diets consisting of cooked foods

lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach of the dog

no exercise

non-absorption of minerals

As a result, the bones and the joints become inflamed which in turn hinders the animal's mobility and is quite painful as well. Give the dog nothing but distilled water in order to flush out any excess mineral deposits in the joints. Feed them garlic, raw fruits and vegetables, and even sprouts while avoiding an acid-forming diet at the same time. You can add chopped comfrey combined with parsley leaves to their diets, as well as always making sure to keep the dog in a dry and warm environment. Also, when you take the dog for walks, make sure you do so in direct sunlight.

Finally, here is a list of minerals and vitamins to make sure that the dog is getting sufficient amounts of in their diets:

Calcium

Iodine

Lecithin

Magnesium

Potassium

Phosphorous

Sulfur

Vitamins A, B complex, C, D, E, and F

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