Keep Seniors Active
Our animals age very similarly to the way we age, they just do it quicker. An average age for a pet to be considered a senior pet is around seven years old. That being said, the size of the animal can also regulate age. Giant breeds such as Great Danes are considered seniors at 5 years of age where as toy breeds such as Tea Cup Poodles are considered seniors at 9 years of age. Cats are generally considered to begin senior status at around eleven years with an additional mature status starting at seven years.
Knowing these age definitions is important for knowing when to start or stop feeding certain diets as well as knowing exercise tolerance or when a cough may becoming something more.
Once a pet reaches a senior status a diet change should be considered. Different life stages require different caloric intake, different energy requirements, and comes with a change in digestion as well. Just as with people, as pets age they begin to slow down and require less calories per day and less energy since they don’t burn as much during the day. Changing from an adult geared diet to a senior diet would be helpful for their whole body as well as to keep extra weight off. When pets gain extra weight as they age it can affect not only their joints (making it hard to get up, down, and around) but also increase the risk for heart disease and diabetes. Digestion also slows down with age and with a senior diet it is formulated to be easier on them and create less upset.
Cognitive function- a big name for brain activity- is also something that needs to be considered. Pets tend to sleep more as they age, like humans, and they are not as active in general. However, keep in mind that our animals still need activity in their lives and something to keep their brains active too. Purchase or make toys that require some thinking effort to release a treat. Play hide and seek with them or their toys. Get creative and keep them interested. For indoor cats you can put a bird or squirrel feeder outside a window to keep them entertained or even a window seat in general would keep them intrigued. Games of chase and catch, arthritis permitted, are also still a great activity. Daily exercise and fun is good for any age, pets and people alike.
The last thing to consider is that pets are the master disguisers. Keep a close eye on any changes in their normal routine as they age, especially cats. Cats can develop kidney disease, thyroid disease, or other diseases and never show a symptom until the disease has progressed greatly. This is a throwback to survival of the fittest in the wild world where sick animals became prey. Monitor eating and drinking habits, where they sleep, are they getting into their favorite windows or on furniture (90% of cats have osteoarthritis that goes undiagnosed), normal bowel movements and urine frequency, weight changes, or changes in their coat. We recommend twice yearly exams (see our 2 by 2 blogs) in order to detect early changes. If we figure one human yearly is roughly 7 animal years, than a lot can happen in seven years when we only examine them once. Staying on top of health issues and prevention is the best way to help your pet have a happy, healthy, long life.
Please call today to set up your pet’s senior wellness check-up.