Senior Pet Tips
With all the advancements in veterinary medicine, our pets are living longer lives! Its wonderful that we get more years with them (still not enough time), but we've come across new challenges of how to care for them in their golden years. I've put together a small list for your older dog to help with this new phase of life.
Preventative Care - Starting your pet on joint supplements at a young age (especially for bigger dogs), balanced nutrition (vital building blocks of life), fish oil (decreases systemic inflammation and important in brain health as they age), and keeping their weight down are all going to be key in the quality of life in their older years! As they start to age, their body won’t function as well, so I start pets on certain supplements. I use Thorne Vet Geriatric Basics on older adult dogs, even before they get to “geriatric” age. A few other supplements are: CoQ10 (cardiac and circulation), Quercetin (allergy and anti-oxidant), Digestive Enzyme (better nutrient absorption), CBD (arthritis, dementia, anxiety), Melatonin (sleeplessness), MCT Oil (neurologic and brain health) or many other supplements that your veterinarian can guide you on.
Interaction and Preserving the Human-Animal Bond - Older pets still love to explore outside, go on walks, sniff new smells, play with toys, and find the MOST joy with interacting with their owners. Take them on (shorter) walks, use a wagon, stroller, or sling / harness (check out Help Em UP Harness, or Ginger Lead Sling), take time to give them love and attention, interact with them on a daily basis to show them how much you still care and to keep their mind sharp! They still love to show you how they can sit, stay, roll over, and other tricks in order to please you!
Anxiety Relief - Pets can become stressed and anxious when their senses start to diminish. Not being able to hear, see, smell very well can cause them to be more reactive. Decreased mobility can also be cause for stress, and its been documented that pets do get dementia. There are supplements that can help (see my full post about anxiety here), but talking with your vet about CBD, L-Theanine, Zylkene, Ashwagandha, Melatonin, or even some prescription meds if they become extremely anxious.
Pee Pads - Accidents are going to happen. Some older pets are unable to hold it for more than a few hours, so pee pads will help keep your house clean, and keep their dignity intact. They don't like soiling the house anymore than you do! Pet Diapers or Belly Bands are also great for pets that have incontinent issues.
Traction Socks, Booties, Mats - If you have hardwood floors, slipping can be an issue for arthritic, weaker animals. Socks with grips or booties on their paws will help with walking, stability, and decrease falls, slips, or accidents. Rugs, yoga mats, or non-slip drawer liners can help with traction around the house as well! If your dogs drag their paws on walks, boots and socks will protect their nails from being run down to the quick (blood vessel). For larger dogs, slings are extremely helpful for stability on stairs and while posturing to poop and pee :) Pawz Booties, Pawks Socks, Lavasoxs, or Buzby Toe Grips can all be found online or at your local pet store.
Raise Food and Water Bowls - Keeping food and water bowls level to your pet's chest is easier on their necks, decreases stress and weight on the shoulder and front limb area, and helps with prehension (getting food into the mouth). This will also help your pet with a collapsing trachea (usually seen in smaller breeds), as it will minimize the crinkling of the trachea.
Designated Space - A comfy, cushioned spot for pets to sleep and rest will help decrease bedsores, ease pain on arthritic joints, and create a safe space where they can find refuge if they are feeling a little agitated. Having a spot designated for you pet can help them feel comforted and decrease any unease caused by dementia or anxiety that may develop with age.
Cooling Pads and/or Sweaters - Older dogs can have a difficult time regulating their body temperatures due to poor circulation. During the spring and summer, cooling pads on their bedding can help decrease overheating and panting, and in the fall and winter, sweater and sweatshirts can help keep our pets warm.
Food - This is big for every life stage. Nutrition is not a “One Size Fits All” approach, so it’s important to discuss with your veterinarian what is best for your pet. Some need more protein, others need less due to kidney or liver issues. Some days whatever your senior dog wants to eat is good enough. Their appetite changes and may decrease due to lack of smell, dental disease, nausea from underlying issues, or other reasons. Warming up the food, adding bone or vegetable broth, softer foods (even pureeing some foods to help them lap it up). The aim is to get easily digestible food into their system. Steamed veggies, lean meats & eggs, plain yogurt or kefir, wet, canned or pre-cooked dog food - these are easier to digest than kibble. My older dog used to skip breakfast in his final year, but between the hours of 4pm-9pm he would be ravenous, so we adjusted accordingly!
Check Ups every 6-9 months - Pets age faster than humans, so getting a good physical exam, or even some imaging (x-rays, ultrasound), blood work, and lifestyle discussion with your vet is essential to keep you pet healthy and minimize issues early on.
Acupuncture, Physical Therapy, Massage, Cold Laser, and other alternative therapies - You know I was going to bring these modalities up! They can help decrease prescription medications, release endorphins, increase circulation, and help improve your pet's quality of life. You can learn some at home massage and stretching techniques to help keep your pet comfortable! Talk to your vet about these therapies, or email me at info@balancedpetvet.com for more info.
Each pet is different, so please ask your vet any questions about your older pet!
Cheers to older pets!
Dr. Tori