As animals get older, like people, their needs change, but though they may be slowing down, their senior years can be some of their most rewarding years.
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It always seems far too soon that we notice our friends ageing physically and mentally, and while we cannot stop time, there are lots of things we can do to make life more comfortable for our pets in old age.
Keep up with routine care such as worming, flea control and vaccinations. Have a good chat to your vet when your pet has his annual vaccinations and health check. If you have any concerns this is a good time to raise them.
Your vet will pick up any early signs of heart problems or arthritis which may appear to you as an animal just 'slowing down'. These conditions may not be curable but can be managed well with medication.
Old pets can have a good quality of life but their care often needs a bit of adjustment.
Modifying exercise and diet to suit the change in their level of activity is obvious but some older pets also develop behavioural changes resulting from dementia.
Dog dementia (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction) can show up as aimless pacing, wakefulness and perhaps vocalising at night and loss of trained behaviour such as loss of house training.
They may appear “lost” in a room and forget their way even in familiar surroundings.
Cats can show similar symptoms but random vocalising is also very common.
Anxiety from dementia can be a major issue in old pets and sometimes this can make for poor quality of life despite them being physically quite well. Anxious pets tend to be clingy and dogs may pant and tremble a lot of the time.
They often have difficulty adapting to change so keep their routine as regular as possible. Old pets often have poor hearing and eyesight and can easily get confused. Reassuring them with touch rather than just voice can be helpful and perhaps using a harness to guide them when outside their home.
We would all like our beloved pets to die naturally at home, but often illness and poor quality of life means that euthanasia has to be considered. It is a good idea to talk to your vet before time so you know what your options are ... a home visit or a clinic visit? Burial or cremation?
