What vaccinations, eye, and joint health does my senior dog need?

Question

What vaccinations is needed for a senior dog? She is a small shitzu has her teeth. I got her yesterday extremely matted but look fine other than her eyes​ beginning of cataracts on one and has nuclear sclerosis. Does it affect her vision? What should I do health wise? Something for her joints? She is overall happy and active. A few hours of shaving later she looks great sorry for so many questions. Any help is appreciated before and after photos. Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female

Jeffrey Milner · Accepted Answer

Nice to hear you adopted a senior pet, there are so many that need good homes! The age of an animal does not usually determine what vaccines are warranted in my opinion, but rather the risk of exposure to various diseases is what you should be considering. If Mimi is going to be a primarily indoor dog that has limited exposure to any other animals, wildlife, the outdoors, so on and so forth, she might be fine with just a rabies vaccine. The other vaccine that is generally considered core is the distemper combination shot that covers or four or five different conditions, all of which are much easier to prevent than treat. All other vaccines in dogs generally considered situational, so you should discuss your living situation and what you intend to do with Miimi with your vet in order to make the most informed vaccination decision moving forward. Cataracts will eventually cause total blindness, while nuclear sclerosis has no effect on vision - it is just an age-related change. In terms of general care, depending on how old she is it might be a good idea to obtain some general blood work in order to have a baseline of how she is doing. In terms of her joints, a supplement would be a great idea. If she is already having issues with mobility, you can discuss with your veterinarian the addition of an anti-inflammatory medication. There are many from which to choose. Hope this helps.

What vaccinations, eye, and joint health does my senior dog need?

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