16. Senior Pet Care

If you have pets, at some point you will have a senior pet, at what age a pet is considered a senior varies on the type of pet, normal lifespan, & in some cases the size of the pet. A Chihuahua lives a lot longer than lets say a St Bernard, so longer before being considered a senior. You can ask your Vet what is considered a senior for the particular pet you have. As our pets age we need to do all we can possibly do to make their lives have as much quality as possible.

Senior pets should have more frequent checkups with a Vet to be sure all is well & to catch any potential issue while it is manageable. Most Vets recommend a visit for senior pets every six months, at least for cats & dogs. Birds & some other small pets might be more stressed by this, so know your pet & discuss with your Exotic Vet what is best for your exotic caged pet.

Senior pets tend to get cold easier, so they may need to wear a sweater, even inside. for small dogs: https://amzn.to/3XrjaTb for med dogs: https://amzn.to/3DdTwKG When outside they may need a fleece lined jacket to help keep their body temperature. For smaller dogs: https://amzn.to/3Xqpudu One like this for sm/med or larger dogs: https://amzn.to/3DtjkCq

An orthopedic bed can help those who have joint issues or not moving as easily as they used to. A waterproof bed (accidents can happen with senior pets)that is not too high.: For med to large pets https://amzn.to/3XsgTa2 & for smaller pets https://amzn.to/41ix3UG. A heated mat for those pets that get cold is also nice, such as one like this: https://amzn.to/3FfE0yj

Let your senior dog tell you how much exercise is enough. My senior dog (Ace) walked less as he got closer to the end of life. He had hip dysplasia from about the age of 10 & it would act up at times. The last 6 months or so we would walk 1/2 a block to 2 blocks one way then we would cross the street & walk back. He wasn’t good with turning around, he wanted new things to smell, so we crossed the street. The photo below was taken shortly before we said goodbye & he crossed the rainbow bridge at the age of 16 & 8 months.

When Ace my senior dog had issues with his hips we did laser treatment & water tread mill to help his joints. He was not a fan of the water, but was fine with the laser treatments, the 1st photo was taken at his laser appointment. I got to wear laser glasses as well.

Oral health is very important for senior pets, so be sure you are brushing or using an oral spray to help their teeth & gums. Check out my blog #11 on Oral health. A soft diet only is potentially going to lead to oral health issues, so try getting your dog to eat some harder foods as well. Giving them things to chew on is important as they age to help maintain healthy teeth and gums. Softer thinner bully sticks: https://amzn.to/41CX6HE Duck feet are another treat that is not too hard, & enjoyed by many senior dogs. https://amzn.to/43gwzkA

A healthy weight is important for all pets, but especially seniors as they are less active & extra weight is hard for their joints, hips, & legs. A dog should eat approx 1/2 cup of dry food for every 30 lbs of weight they should be, twice a day. So a dog that is at their proper weight, which means seeing a waistline when standing above them looking down, but not seeing ribs sticking out, should eat 1/2 cup of high quality dog food twice a day. This may vary with breed & activity level along with & the quality of food(higher quality foods lack fillers, grains & by-products & have more nutrients). Feed on a schedule of twice a day, so you can monitor any eating changes, as this could be a sign something could be wrong. Free feeding is also not good for any dog or cats digestion as the floral that helps absorb nutrients is not allowed to form properly in their intestines if allowed to eat throughout the day.

Turmeric tea is helpful for joints and inflammation; Buy a high quality fresh turmeric root (imported from India is usually good). Cut a piece about the size of your thumb & grate it into a saucepan of quart of water, heat & steep it for about 10 mins, let it cool & strain into a glass mason jar & refrigerate. Add about 1/4 cup to a 50 lb dog’s food twice a day. Please note turmeric stains counters, hands etc so be careful.

Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM are good for joints & a great brand is sold for pets. https://amzn.to/3Xpeq0d I bought human grade for my dog, but I researched the exact dosage & talked to my Integrative Vet & got the ok. https://amzn.to/3QP2Mrz

Stairs to help a pet onto high beds, fold-able ones are available like this https://amzn.to/3QHwmiL or soft ones like this https://amzn.to/3QGOtFs Stairs are also made to help them get onto the sofa to snuggle with you or to just hang out: https://amzn.to/43mziZD If you have a larger dog that needs to get into your vehicle & is harder to pick due to size a ramp can help your dog get in & out of your vehicle, especially if you have a truck or SUV. :https://amzn.to/3XpWimS An important thing with a ramp is that it needs to be transportable to use at location your taking your pet. Some pets prefer stairs to get in & out of a vehicle: https://amzn.to/4borEQE You may have to try one & see. I have a ramp & one of my previous dogs would use it & one would not.

Thank you for reading, if this was helpful I would appreciate it if you would please like it, share & comment. Debbie