On the first Sunday in October we celebrate Dead Animal Remembrance Day. This is a special time to think and talk about death. I suspect that one cannot be 100% prepared for the death of a friend, and every dying and mourning process will be different. However, knowledge about death itself and the functioning of the body will help you take care of your dog and yourself during this difficult time. In my opinion, this is a must-know for people who have dogs.
The death of a dog is a time of deep sadness and emotional excitement for its owners. The death of a dog is a particularly painful event because the relationship that develops over the years between a four-legged dog and a human is extremely strong and personal.
How to recognize a dog's approaching old age
How do dogs die of old age? In this case, everything happens exactly the same as in humans. The aging process is well reflected in the appearance and behavior of the animal. The fur gradually begins to fade and fall out, hearing and vision deteriorate.
How to understand that a dog is dying
Older dogs prefer to spend most of their time at rest, sleeping or just lying down. In addition, older dogs try to stay away from people so that they are touched and disturbed as little as possible.
If an animal is in this condition, this does not mean that it will die. A pet can live like this for another day, a month, or several years. It all depends on the body. Among the main signs of approaching old age are the following:
- general activity decreases, the animal prefers to be at rest;
- the dog sleeps more often and becomes lethargic;
- the reaction to external stimuli decreases;
- heart rhythm disturbances appear;
- hearing and vision decrease;
- the condition of the coat deteriorates;
- coordination of movements is impaired;
- appetite decreases, which leads to weight loss;
- incontinence, indigestion, diarrhea and so on.
Important! When dogs reach the age of 10-11 years, the number of moults may become more frequent. At the same time, some people’s hair may not recover.
Late signs
- Lack of thirst (disinterest in water and food); — Urinary and fecal incontinence; — Inactivity (lies in one position, rarely turns over with difficulty); - Soreness (often accompanied by difficulty breathing, restlessness, lack of appetite, whining and licking the area that hurts); - Difficulty breathing (slow, irregular breaths or heavy breathing that is different from what you are used to); — Changes in the color of the gums (instead of the normal pink they become pale or bluish); - Decrease in temperature (the body becomes cold).
How to understand that a dog is about to die
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Knowing the signs of a dog's death is important so that owners can prepare for the inevitable. Taking into account the fact that the gradual onset of death can last several days from the moment the first signs appear, the owner will be able to spend them next to the pet and somehow brighten up the death. In addition, it is very important that in the last minutes of life the dog does not experience severe pain; some signs will also indicate this.
Changes in the digestive system
How can you tell if a dog is dying? First of all, this affects the digestive system. In most cases, on the eve of death, the pet completely refuses food. He may also not touch water at all.
You need to understand that internal organs gradually slow down their activity and begin to fail. Dehydration manifests itself in the fact that the animal's mouth becomes dry and rough. In some cases, vomiting (bile) and diarrhea occur.
Changes in the body indicate imminent death
Changing food habits
An old dog also expresses signs of approaching death by changing its food habits. Most often, dogs simply eat significantly less. This phenomenon is due to the fact that the pet moves less often and, accordingly, spends a little energy. It should be understood that a decrease in the amount of food consumed is not direct evidence of the imminent death of a pet. If the dog continues to eat, this only indicates old age.
In any case, the owner must ensure that his dog continues to eat and drink clean water. There is no need to force feed. A healthy, even old dog will do this on its own.
Sometimes the situation develops completely in the opposite direction. Some dogs, on the contrary, begin to eat much more as they get older. In this situation, you should not follow the dog’s lead; it is best to give the same amount of food as always.
Important! An elderly pet should not be overfed. It is also forbidden to give him harmful foods. This will only worsen the situation and physical condition of the animal.
Breathing changes
A dying dog's breathing begins to change on the eve of death. This can happen in a few days or in a couple of hours. Breathing becomes shallow at long intervals. Owners should know that in normal condition dogs take approximately 22-23 breaths per minute. Accordingly, in the dying state this indicator is halved.
When a dog dies, it begins to exhale deeply from its lungs and, as it were, listens. This phenomenon is directly related to heart rate. If in normal times the pulse reaches 100-135 beats per minute, then before death it drops to 65-80 beats. However, it is difficult to palpate.
Disorders of the musculoskeletal system
How does a dog behave before death? As already mentioned, most dogs spend most of their time lying down. This occurs not only due to loss of strength, but also due to disruption of the musculoskeletal system.
The thing is that the amount of glucose in the blood decreases significantly, down to zero. This can cause cramps in the limbs and involuntary spasms. In such situations, pets stop even reacting to pain.
Visually, symptoms can be determined in another way. If the pet stands on its paws, a lack of coordination and confusion of movements becomes noticeable. In some cases, the hind limbs may begin to fail completely. In other words, the dog begins to drag its feet.
Sleeps more often and longer
The need for long, deep and restful sleep in dogs also appears with age. The owners immediately notice a change in behavior. If earlier a dog, for example, a Pekingese, could carefreely run around the apartment from early morning until late evening, now he has become lazier, wakes up late and moves around the apartment with reluctance.
What should really alarm the owner is that the animal lies motionless all day and refuses to get up even to eat. And if a pet is huddled in a dark corner, this is a clear sign of approaching death.
The dog sleeps a lot and for a long time
Disorders of urination and defecation
Before death, changes in the body system lead to involuntary urination and defecation. The pet is simply not able to control its own urges.
Loose stools with an unpleasant, pungent odor are also a symptom that your pet doesn’t have much time left. You should be patient and never scold the animal.
Important! Such symptoms may indicate the presence of an intestinal disease such as enteritis. If changes occur suddenly, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
What does the skin and mucous membranes look like?
Not drinking water has a serious impact on your pet's appearance. The skin and mucous membrane become dry, peeling appears. The gums are covered with a white film.
central nervous system
Disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system begin when the dog reaches old age. This phenomenon contributes to the development of a number of diseases.
Important! A disease such as distemper can disrupt the functioning of the central nervous system. Therefore, you should not neglect routine vaccinations. A tick bite also has a negative effect.
Renal dysfunction
Kidney problems occur in 7 out of 10 dogs by the age of 9-10 years. Therefore, it is necessary to very carefully monitor the physical condition of your pet. Otherwise, the animal may die prematurely.
Important! Liver and kidney failure are two diseases that very quickly, and most importantly, quietly suck life out of the body. If you are not sure about your pet’s condition, it is best to seek help from a specialist.
Kidney problems appear
Why do animals leave home before they die?
Worms in a dog: signs, how to tell in small breeds
Many people know that if an old animal suddenly disappeared from home, then most likely a faithful friend has gone to die. It is worth saying that not all dogs act this way. Some dogs prefer to stay close to their owner, walking behind him and constantly looking into his eyes. In this case, it is recommended to give your pet as much attention as possible, because he doesn’t have much left.
So why do some dogs still try to leave home on the eve of death? In fact, the explanation lies in their genes. Dogs, just like their distant ancestors, are accustomed to meeting their last moments alone.
The approach of death makes the animal forget its acquired skills. In this state, he can easily bite even his most beloved owner. Dogs can sense the inevitable and choose the most correct solution in their understanding, that is, leaving.
Before his death, the dog leaves home
About the death agony
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The state of death agony causes panic and fear in a person. And the point is not that the owner does not know what is happening, but that the animal may experience severe pain. In fact, this is not always necessary. Death agony is a natural reaction of the body.
A person can recognize it by various signs. In some cases, pets behave detachedly, lose consciousness, and their pupils stop dilating. In others, the dog actually experiences physical suffering. She vomits, the animal whines from internal pain and a feeling of hopelessness.
If a person understands that everything is over, the best decision would be to simply stay close to the pets. You can just sit next to your favorite terrier, pet him, talk. The main thing is to try to remain calm yourself so as not to disturb the dog again.
Contact your veterinarian
If this happens during normal business hours, your veterinarian can help you with step-by-step instructions.
They may also have a way to contact someone who can pick up your pet's body (such as a pet crematorium or mobile veterinary service).
In some cases, the veterinarian's office may hold your pet's body for a day or two while you decide on subsequent arrangements, such as cremation or burial.
Your veterinarian's office should also be able to contact a local company for cremation or burial. Fortunately, most veterinarians have a relationship with at least one local business that offers these services.
Caring for an elderly animal
The old age of a beloved animal can approach unnoticed by the owner himself. However, this is inevitable. It will be good if a person can devote more time to his old friend. It is recommended to spend more time outdoors, remember to eat properly and visit a doctor regularly.
The latter is especially important. After all, as has been said more than once, a dog’s old age is accompanied by a number of concomitant diseases that can be identified at the initial stages.
An important question that worries the owners is why the dog died in one day? There are quite a lot of options. It could be:
- rabies;
- the animal ate poison or a product laced with dangerous drugs, for example, rat poison;
- The strong bite caused damage to internal organs.
Some illnesses, such as cancer or breast inflammation, can take a very long time to develop and are almost unnoticeable. The pet’s condition simply deteriorates at one point and it begins to rapidly die. Lymphoma is also dangerous and almost invisible. What does this mean? And you need to find out about terrible diagnoses in advance. This is the only way to help your pet live longer and not experience severe pain.
As for nutrition, it is recommended not to skimp on food or prepared food. It goes without saying that an animal must eat high-quality food throughout its life. In old age, special attention should be paid to this. In particular, if the dog eats ready-made food, then it should be premium and super-premium.
Caring for an old dog
Signs after the death of a dog
If the dog dies, many people sincerely believe that there are a number of signs that should be observed. In particular, you should not bury a deceased dog near your home, as this will bring failure in the family or the imminent death of one of your relatives.
If you want to get a new pet to replace the lost one, it is not recommended to do this before 2 months have passed. This is due to the belief that a puppy can suddenly get sick and die.
In ancient times, it was customary to burn a person’s dead friends. This was done so that the spirit of the beast could not rise from the grave and harm other pets. Although this could rather be explained by the fact that the burned corpse did not become a breeding ground for viruses and diseases.
Whether to believe in all these signs or not is everyone’s business. One thing is for sure - after the death of a pet, it must be buried. Moreover, in such a way that it does not get washed away during the rain and other homeless animals do not get to it.
It is best to take the dog somewhere outside the city, where there are no prying eyes. Regardless of the breed, a devoted friend needs his own grave. What you definitely shouldn't do is throw the corpse in the trash.
At the hour of death, a faithful friend needs his owner especially strongly. It’s worth remembering how much joy and fun the dog has brought to a person over all the past years and just being with him. After all, for a person he is just an episode in life, but for a pet, the owner is his whole life.
Burial of the body
Check your local laws before burying your dog on your property. In some areas it is illegal to bury pets in yards, especially in cities.
Before the burial process, remove the body from non-degradable materials (plastic, polyethylene). It is possible to use a wooden or cardboard coffin. The grave must be at least 1 meter deep. Choose a secure location with low risk of destruction. You may want to add a headstone or other marker to memorialize your beloved pet.
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