Being a Senior Isn’t All Bad
Time can be either for us or against us. Glass is half full or half empty. Experienced or amateurs. Our pets age and change the same way we do and we need to help them do it with grace.
As pets grow older their energy and nutrient requirement change. They don’t require the high energy foods of a puppy or the nutrient value of adult formulas. Their metabolism slows and their nutrient requirements vary to help ease the work load of certain organ systems. Once cats are 10 years of age they are better served a senior type of dry and canned food. For dogs that change varies depending on their size. For small breed dogs it occurs at 10 years, medium breed dogs at 9 years, large breed dogs at 8 years, and giant breed dogs at 7 years.
Not only does food type change but so do activity levels. You may notice your best friend sleeps more or maybe doesn’t come to play with you outside for as long. Pets can suffer from osteoarthritis just like us. We recommend using a joint supplement to help with the health and mobility of joints. If they are very painful we also have several options for pain medications to ease the discomfort associated with arthritis. Pets cannot metabolize our pain medications (acetaminophen and ibuprofen) the way we can and can become very ill from them. We can help you choose the best option for supplements and pain/inflammation relief.
Our best friends are so stoic that they often do not exhibit any symptoms of illness until the problem has progressed significantly. The most common ailment of senior cats is kidney disease, they do not show any sign of illness until 75% of the kidney function is gone. We have a great wellness plan for our senior pets that monitors the function of their organs and also looks at infection cells and blood cells. Often times you can notice slight elevation changes in these values before symptoms present. If we can catch these changes early we can then start special diets or medications to prevent further deterioration, thereby giving them more time to enjoy life with you.
After all the above mentioned troubles you may wonder what the benefit to being a senior is. Older pets offer quiet devotion knowing all the trials of life they have stood faithfully by you during. They relish in the one on one special attention and private dining with their own special food or treats. It only takes one glance into those soulful eyes to know they have life figured out… love freely, play unabashedly, relax often, and forgive easily. They don’t see the glass as full or empty, they are just glad to have the glass. We owe it to them to protect them during their golden years; they have given so much to us without asking anything in return.