pet chat
So many people don’t think of their dog as a senior until they have trouble getting around or develop other medical issues common with the aging canine. Because our Ginger became a special needs dog early in her years, it became my goal to give her a full lifespan regardless of her medical issues.
A good life span for a large breed dog is twelve-years, some longer; but if you can spend 12-years with your large breed friend, they’ve had a good life and you have been fortunate. Dogs should be considered senior citizens, regardless of their size, when they reach 7-years-old; for cats, assuming they are under 20-lbs, it’s the age of nine that they enter the senior circle. This does not mean that they become crippled, sick or lethargic. What it DOES mean is that you as their caregiver have the responsibility to pay closer attention to their needs, because their needs will change. It is up to you because your dog will collapse before they will let you down by not keeping up with you. Remember you need to learn their language through observation. • If you hike or run with your dog, when they enter their senior years you need to pay closer attention to whether they tire a little sooner than they used to. Do they limp a little after a hike or run? Do they stop and refuse to go on without a lot of encouragement? Do they collapse when you get them back home? All these are clear signs that your dog cannot keep up the same pace it used to and it’s up to you to find a way that allows your dog to still have the same activities and lifestyles they've always had, but can slow down a bit and rest in between. • Prevention works the same in your pets as it does with humans. If you currently do not take your pet in for a yearly physical, then the time to start is when they enter their senior years. An annual exam combined with a simple set of blood tests can give you and your vet a baseline to monitor as your pet ages. Doing this allows your vet to catch the early warning signs of something that can be treated early and often holistically, preventing a more serious and often deadly result if you wait until your pet shows signs of illness. • Know your pet’s personality and routine so well that if your pet doesn’t quite seem themselves by turning down food or a treat they usually love, not wanting to play a game they never turn down, if they seem a bit grumpy or any number of unusual, though minor, changes can all be their way of showing you that they don’t feel well. Get them checked out immediately. • A dog, like humans, controlling their natural body temperature becomes something their bodies no longer do as well as a young or middle-aged pet. Make sure that your senior cats and dogs are inside when the weather grows cold and don't let them play, run or hike during heat waves. If your pet shows signs of joint soreness, keeping them warm becomes even more critical. Getting your dog a water repellent coat for going out in cold or wet weather, even to go potty is a wonderful gift to them. If you don’t think your dog will wear one, wait to try it out the first time it's pouring down rain outside and your pup has to go tinkle! Believe me when I say, they will come back in and look at you as if you are god! • Provide a diet that fits the needs of your aging pet. Their dietary needs change as they become senior citizens. Work with your vet to develop dietary changes and supplements that will help your senior family member get the nutrition it needs to support joint degradation, weight control, maintain a strong immune system, and I am a firm believer in a good quality multi-vitamin. Do your research; there is a tremendous amount of good holistic information out there on maintaining the health of your senior pet. After you acquire some knowledge, go to your vet and ask them to work with you to create a diet that fits your pet’s specific needs. I hope that what I've learned over the years helps you. I am not a doctor or expert, but I have lived with pets in my life for over forty-years and I have been blessed with a veterinarian over past twenty-years that supported my efforts and helped me to learn how to care for the senior pet. Next month I'll touch a bit on the Geriatric pet which will go a little further into preparing yourself and your pet for their Golden Years.
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Doreen Erhardt
As a pet lover, a pet mother and the owner of PAWSitively PETrageous it seems only logical that I offer a place where we can chat about our furred and feathered kids without being taken away in a white jacket! Archives
June 2019
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