The senior stage of a pets life can be a wonderful, but sometimes difficult time. It’s difficult that pets age so much faster than us. Common things we see in our senior pets include slowing down, difficulty getting around, decreased hearing and sight, sometimes a decreased sense of smell. These are things that are similar to us ageing.
There are many things we can do for our ageing pets to keep them comfortable:
- Keeping them at a lean, healthy weight takes extra stress off their sore joints.
- Keeping their nails trimmed is very important. Overgrown nails are extremely uncomfortable for pets in general, but especially in senior, arthritic pets.
- If pets have extra furry paws, keeping the fur short on the underside of their paws will help give them better grip. The extra fur can act like a slick slipper on hard floors.
- Area rugs are another thing that can help with slippery floors. Consider using extra rugs in hallways and/or common areas that your senior pet likes to be.
- Raising their food and water bowls can help with sore joints, as they don’t have to bend down as far to eat and drink. Also placing these on an area rug for extra grip can make eating and drinking more comfortable.
- If your pet’s sense of smell is decreased, adding a little-canned food can enhance the smell of their meal.
- If their eyesight is reduced, keeping the layout of your living space will help them.
- Some supplements can help keep them comfortable as well, such as glucosamine chondroitin and omega fatty acids. As glucosamine supplements come in many forms, we’d be happy to help you find the best formulation for your individual pet.
Our pets mean so much to us, so let’s give them the most comfortable senior years that we can.
Written by Amanda Leveille, RVT
