Pet's Age Just Like Humans With Similar Problems

Your Aging Pet's

Pet's when young, are often frisky and playful.  You will find that as your pet grows into adulthood he will settle down and become less active.  He still may love to chase a ball or play with you, but you will find that he also spends a lot more time sleeping.  That is just the ‘nature of the beast’ and is very natural.  It does not mean that something is wrong with your pet.

As a young puppy or kitten your pet may have eaten everything in sight to keep up with his growing physical body.  As your pet's age, they may become more finicky towards certain foods.  They might have discovered what his likes and dislikes are. They also know what he can get away with in the way that you feed him.

He may not want to eat that dry kibble now because he has learned that you will replace it with table scraps if he waits long enough.  He will also be more in tune with what his body requires.  For example, you may find that your cat or dog now eats grass to supply his bodily needs for greens (for digestion).  It is necessary therefore, to search out the type of food your pet’s aging body needs.  You can find pet foods that are more suitable to adult animals in all pet stores and grocery stores.

You will also find that you will need to feed your pet a bit less.  They are now not as active and will burn less food-fuel.  This can cause them to gain weight, and keeping your pet at a healthy weight is just as important as with people.  Being overweight can lead to other health problems.

Your Pet's Aging Process

Your pet’s body will also go through the aging process, just as humans do. Pet's can suffer from many of the same problems that people do when aging.  They can get cancer, contract cataracts in their eyes, and suffer from arthritis.

In order to keep your pet in ultimate health, it is important that you keep up with his regular veterinary check-ups.  Your vet can help you keep on top of any ailments your pet many suffer from due to age, and be able to provide medication to help keep him comfortable.  You will find that a dog suffering from arthritis can benefit from some of the same types of medicines that humans do (like glucosamine or anti-inflammatory medicine—but there are special brands and dosages just for pets, so do not use the human version on your pet!)

You may also find that your dog may become more irritable with old age.  That is because his brain is not receiving the same amount of oxygen than when he was younger.  Blood vessels leading to his brain become less elastic and his lungs become less efficient, which can lead to small hemorrhages in his brain.  This is also the reason that he may not tend to learn new things as quickly (remember the old saying: ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”)

Dogs can also suffer from old age dementia just as humans can.  He may become more disoriented and may even lose a little bladder control.  His sleep times may become erratic (he may tend to reverse his sleep order—sleep during the day and be restless at night) and, as mentioned, he may become more irritable.

As your pet ages, as mentioned, he will become less active.  It is not a good idea to try to get him to over-exercise at this point in his life.  It is natural for him to be more sedentary. “Let sleeping dogs lie.”

Older dogs are also more prone to tumors, but the vast majority are benign and are nothing to worry about.  If you do find your pet has a bump or growth, it is best to consult with your veterinarian, especially if it changes in size or shape and grows rapidly.

Some Things To Consider

Here is a short list of things you can do to make you and your dog’s more comfortable as he grows older:

• Take him out for a walk more frequently, but for shorter lengths of time
• Feed your dog smaller meals, but more frequently
• Take your dog outside to relieve himself right after feeding (so those accidents don't happen)
• Make sure his sleeping space has a comfortable blanket and is out of drafts
• Do not leave him out in the cold for extended periods of time
• Keep regular vet check-ups, and consult with your vet about medication. Your pet may require medications to help relieve aging symptoms. As an older pet, you may want to increase his veterinarian visits to twice a year.
• Keep an eye on your pet’s weight
• Feed your pet age-appropriate food

It is sad that we sometimes have to outlive our pets , but the life cycle cannot be ignored.  It used to be thought that you could compare one year of human life to seven dog years.  That is not considered the case today.  As with humans, medical treatments and advancements have progressed and dogs are healthier.  Now it is thought that one year of human life can be compared to five dog years.