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In dogs, dislocation of the eyeball is an emergency. If the eyeball is not replaced within a couple of hours, it will become dehydrated and death of the eye tissue will be the unvarying result. When this occurs, surgical removal of the eyeball is the only practical alternative. Therefore, when eyeball dislocation takes place, immediate veterinary treatment is imperative. If it should so happen that it is impossible to get in touch with a veterinarian within two hours, the owner will have to take the chance and attempt to replace the eyeball himself. Usually this is not a difficult task, for most often the eyeball can be made to slip back into its socket very easily.
To prolong the life of the old dog, it is well to keep the animal free of parasites and to alleviate skin irritations as soon as they appear. While skin irritations are not in themselves fatal, they cause great unrest and can readily lead to depletion and exhaustion in the aged animal. This can lead to lack of appetite and sometimes have many dire consequences.
The fairly thin tongue of the dog is used mainly for guiding food to the throat, for licking the coat clean, and for perspiration. When a dog is overheated, it cools off by hanging its tongue out and panting. As it pants, the evaporation of perspiration from its tongue cools the animal. The dog also sweats through the pads on its paws and--slightly--through its skin.
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At four years the cusps on the upper pincers disappear and the intermediates start to flatten out. The teeth begin to get yellow, and tartar deposits are often observed at the base of the canines. At five years the incisors are markedly worn. The wearing of the teeth might, however, be advanced or retarded in proportion to the care and nourishment the dog has received.
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There is no hardandfast rule by which old age can be strictly defined. Some dogs, like some people, grow old at an earlier age than others. The life span of the average dog ranges from about nine to thirteen years, though cases of dogs living from fifteen to twenty years are not uncommon. We would be safe, then, in classifying as aged dogs those from about eight to ten years old, while being aware of individual differences wherein animals might become old below or above this range.
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The virus will attack the liver, eye, kidney, and blood vessel cells upon entry into the system of the dog. Fortunately, not all of these infections are fatal. Some dogs, after acquiring this virus, will manifest a cough, lethargy, loss of appetite, moodiness and low grade fevers. In some cases, they do not show any symptoms at all.
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