Aging is a fact of life, even for our pets. And the vast amount of products and services available for a senior dog or cat is incredible. With everything from stairs, ramps, slings and carts, to medicines and supplements, it can feel like companies are taking advantage of our love for our pets. But how many of these products are really necessary, and how many of them are just a money grab? It is very hard to tell if your pet really does need some help or if you are just overreacting.
They Start To Slow Down…
I can’t count how many times I’ve seen someone oblivious that their leash is fully extended and their senior dog is 30 feet behind them. Or a previously agile cat that missed a jump up to a favourite windowsill or scratching post. Many pet parents dismiss these things and believe their pet is just getting older. Isn’t it a normal part of aging that they can’t do all the things they used to? Slowing down does happen naturally as they age, but it doesn’t mean we have to accept it and let it limit what our pets can do.
If you put yourself in their paws, would you so quickly accept defeat and give up the simple things that you used to easily do? Is getting older automatically a death sentence for the simple joys of life? We wouldn’t accept a disruption in our regular lifestyle so why should our pets? Yes, it is natural to reduce the intensity or frequency of leisure activities and exercise as we and our pets age. But the small things that make up the majority of our lives shouldn’t be compromised just because of the number of years on our calendars. ‘Quality of life’ is a phrase tossed around a lot in regards to our aging pets. But it is an easy and powerful tool to use when deciding whether some help is necessary.
When Should You Help?
Sit and carefully consider the activity and what is involved in making it happen. Is it a part of your pet’s life that brings them joy or peace? Or is it something they do because YOU enjoy it? Should it continue or is it time to say the risks outweigh the benefits? One way to help find the answer is to consider this question – is this something that ANY other young dog or cat would normally do in a routine day? Is it an activity that is a natural and instinctual part of life for that species?
When the answer to that question is ‘no’ then it is probably time to stop. An example of this is your dog running along while you go mountain biking. You might think, “But he loves that just as much as I do!” Yes, he might have when he was younger and stronger, but now he may be over-exerting himself to keep up with you. Bringing him along now as a senior dog probably causes more problems than enjoyment for him.
If the activity is a normal part of a happy life, then you should do what is reasonable to help them continue to enjoy that activity. The senior dog 30 feet behind his owner does not want to be back there on his own. He is struggling with joint issues or pain and can’t explore interesting things or smells on his walks. He can’t enjoy a major part of being a dog! And what about the cat that can’t get up to her favourite spot to lie in the sun? Sure, she will find a new place to sleep but why should she have to?
How To Help Your Senior Dog or Cat
Once you decide an activity is important now you need to figure out how to prevent any unnecessary stress or pain. Most of the time a simple adjustment or two in the early stages of a problem can fix it for quite a while. You can add a shelf or step up to the windowsill for your cat or a small ramp up to the car for your dog. This really doesn’t take much effort for you but it can make all the difference for them. Make walks with your senior dog a more casual and slower-paced activity. After all, going for a walk is for HER benefit. On a slower walk she can once again sniff out that interesting smell, or explore and go where she wants to go.
However, sometimes more needs to be done. Once the small things are no longer enough it might be time to consider some medication. It will start to get difficult to just stand up from a lying down position. Or they will have a hard time going up and down even just a few stairs. At that point there isn’t a simple product or solution anymore. They need to perform these actions on their own like they used to. These are the times where medications are likely necessary to allow them to continue with a normal life for as long as possible.
In the beginning, a supplement or additive to their food might be all that is necessary. Arthritis is just as common in pets as it is in humans, and giving some glucosamine or switching to a joint support diet might be enough if they are just entering their senior years. These are great ways to provide your pet with gentle support and can extend the time before you need some heavier products.
Properly Using Medications
A drug or medication might be added once your pet becomes geriatric or their condition gets more serious. A visit to your veterinarian is vitally important and the best place to start. They will do blood work and urine testing to check the status of your pet’s major organs and see how well their body can handle medication. Sometimes these tests will determine that one kind of medicine isn’t appropriate but a different type of drug will be perfectly safe. Major damage can happen from giving your pet a drug or medicine without checking with your veterinarian or performing these tests first. Even off the shelf human medicines can be fatal so be sure to talk to your vet before taking any serious steps on your own.
There are lots of options available and most are really easy to administer to your pet. Some are given on a daily basis, and some are given as needed when you expect your pet will experience some pain. Using medication when indicated can majorly help to your senior dog or cat and add years to their life expectancy. They do require periodic monitoring of organ function and occasional dosage adjustments though, so working with your veterinarian is vital to make sure they continue to be comfortable as they age.
Aging Is a Part of the Journey
It is never easy to accept that your pet is not the youthful and energetic dog or cat they used to be. Their life spans are much shorter than ours and they always seem to get older before we are ready. However, there is no shame in giving them some help to continue enjoying the activities they have always loved. Sometimes they really are just slowing down and taking things easier as they age, and sometimes they do need help to deal with an ache or pain.
Ultimately a much harder decision may have to be made when it comes to determining what is best for your pet, but that is a topic for another day. But when it comes to the beginning of our pets’ senior years, careful observation and some simple changes make a huge difference help support them for many happy years to come.