Senior pet health: all you need to know

This month’s blog is dedicated to our older furry friends, so here is some useful information for those who own a senior pet!

Exercise

Keeping up with regular exercise is important for your older pet to maintain a good weight and help towards their overall health. As your pet becomes older, they will start to have less energy, taking them on shorter but more frequent walks is better for them.

Carry on with their exercise routine in a gentle nature, so you don’t cause them any stress. You can do this by swapping longer walks for more frequent but shorter walks. Older pets become tired a lot quicker after exercise so make sure they have time to rest or sleep when they get home. Your pets may be slower than before, but don’t rush them and allow them to go at a pace that works for them.

If you would like advice on your older pet’s exercise routine, book them in for a health check, so we can recommend an exercise program that is suitable for you and your pet.

Feeding

As your pet gets older their dietary requirements change. A balanced, healthy diet still plays a huge role in an older pet’s life. As they start to slow down and become less active, you may notice your pet is putting on weight. This is very normal; and to combat this, you might want to move your pet on to a diet designed for an older animal, this may help with their weight gain.

Due to older pets having dental problems and a change in their smell and taste, it might benefit your pet to give them softer or smoother food to eat. As they get older their appetite may decrease, if this is the case you can change their two big meals a day, to 4 smaller meals spread out over the day.

If you have younger pets in the house as well as your senior pet, make sure your senior pet isn’t competing for food. If your younger pet is pinching your senior pet’s food, you may want to feed them separately.

Your older pet may start to find bending low down to reach their food bowl difficult as they get older, so providing your them with a raised bowl or feeder can help them and may even encourage them to eat more.

Adapting your house

When your pet become older, they might find climbing the stairs in your home difficult due to joint and muscle pains or deteriorating eye sight. It could be beneficial for your pets to have a water bowl, bed, and litter tray on each floor so if your pet doesn’t feel like going back downstairs, they don’t need to. Your pet may stop sleeping upstairs with you too, this is normal for a senior pet, just make sure they have a comfortable sleeping area downstairs.

The loss of eye sight or blindness in senior pets is very common. You may notice them starting to bump into items in your home or jumping at loud or surprising noses. Making sure your house is safe for your older pet to navigate around is very important. Keeping your furniture in place can also help them remember where things are. Allowing your older pet to smell you may put them at ease if they can’t see you.

Keeping things accessible for your senior pet will make their life so much easier. Make sure everything your pet needs: water, food, toys, and their bed is within a reachable distance. They may need to go out to the toilet more frequently, so ensure they have a litter tray or an outside area to get to. If you have any concerns about your pet having incontinence, talk about this with your vet.

Senior pets may find it hard to walk on smooth, slippery floors. You can help your pet by putting down a rug or moving them in to a carpeted room to give them something to grip on to.

Health

When your pet joins the senior club, they may start to develop some life-threatening health problems. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to prevent these age-related health problems. However, keeping your pets active and giving them a balanced diet will help them stay as healthy as possible.

Just like humans, the years of wear and tear on their body can cause them to slow down and develop joint and organ problems.

• Arthritis is a very common health disease in most pets. It is an inflammation of their joints, making it difficult to move around and can cause discomfort and stiffness. It can happen in younger dogs and be hereditary, but it is more likely to be a sign of the ageing process in animals. The symptoms of arthritis can be starting to slow down, reluctancy to play, no longer going upstairs or jumping on the bed, groaning when getting up or sitting down, swelling of the joints, and licking or chewing areas that are causing them pain.
• Lumps and bumps are very common in pets, and usually they are nothing to be concerned about, but time is crucial if you find a lump that may be cancerous. If you spot a new lump or bump on an older pet, you should always contact your vet to get it checked out. Older animals that haven’t been spayed or neutered are at more risk of developing cancer. Sometimes cancer in animals can go undetected and it may only be picked up during a blood test. Some signs you can look out for, however, are loss of appetite, decrease in activity levels, weight loss or difficulty in going to the toilet.
• Dental disease can be common in senior animals, as they have years and years of plaque and tartar building up around their teeth. This buildup can cause them to have bad breath, loss of teeth and red, inflamed gums. Making sure your pet has yearly dental checks and keeping on top of cleaning their teeth can help prevent these symptoms. Rabbits’ teeth are constantly growing, which can cause them to overgrow. Rabbits need to continue to eat plenty of hay and grass to keep their teeth at a good length.

Other common health problems in senior pets:

• Dogs – Kidney Disease, Cognitive Dysfunction, Heart Disease, Loss of eyesight and hearing.
• Cats – Constipation, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Hyperthyroidism, Kidney disease, Senility, and cognitive dysfunction, Loss of eyesight and hearing.
• Rabbits –Uterine cancer, other tumors, Fly strike, Sore hocks, Liver disease, Cataracts, Heart disease.

Grooming

Just like humans, your pets will show their age through their fur. They will start to develop grey hairs, their coats will start to look dull, and their skin may become dry and flaky.

As your pet starts to become less flexible, it might be more difficult for your pet to groom themselves due to aches and pains in their bones and joints. Brushing your pet’s fur regularly will help it to look smoother and prevent their coat from getting matted. Remember to brush them slowly and carefully, so you don’t cause your pet any pain.

Keep an eye on your pets nails, due to being less active their nails may start to over grow. This can cause them difficulties moving about.

Getting your pets nails trimmed every 2-3 weeks will make it easier for them to move around and get that itch! If you have a cat, it is a good idea to get them a scratching pole, this will allow them to keep their nails trimmed themselves.

Taking time out to groom your senior pet also allows you to spend some quality time with them. Regular grooming is also a good opportunity to see if they have developed any lumps, bumps, or abnormalities they may need looking at. If you are concerned, always visit your vet for advice.

Regular vet check ups

When you pet ages their immune system starts to weaken, which makes them more prone to develop health problems. Keeping up with regular vet checkups is important. Most vets will recommend that senior pets, should visit the vet twice a year for a checkup. This will allow the vets to keep an eye on your pets health and be able to provide the best possible treatment if something is spotted. If your older pet has had any pre-existing health conditions, your vet will advise you on how often you should see your vet.

Signs your pet is getting older

Reduced appetite

Increased drinking

Smelly breath

Losing weight

Lumps and bumps

Lethargy/increased tiredness

Difficulty passing urine or feces

Having trouble with balance

Becoming stiff/ joint problems

Increased vocalization

If your pet is showing any of these signs and you are concerned, please visit your nearest practice.