Just like human beings, our pet animals experience changes in the body as they get old. That said, they hence also need adjustments in the care they receive from their masters. Compared to younger animals, senior pets have a greater need for attention and care. However, the additional care and adjustment do not always have to be extremely hard to do as long as you know what to expect among elderly pets and you offer the suitable care. By properly giving care which is right for elderly pets, these animals have even the ability to double their average life spans. You also have the possibility of investing more fantastic years with your favorite pet as he/she ages.
The physical changes encountered by our animals as they get older can either be slow or overnight. However, these changes are not the same for all types of pets - each kind has a certain pattern on bodily changes. Among puppies, the changes also depend on the breed. Generally, dogs are considered to be at their mature age at 7 years old. The little breeds, on the other hand, have a few more years. Cats, however, normally show evident signs of aging in between seven to ten years.
Aging animals have decreasing capability to move; and this is among the most typical features among them. This results from the occurrence of stiff and painful joints, called arthritis. If this condition has not occurred to your family pet yet, you can try to delay it from happening by letting your animal regularly do proper forms of physical exercises. You may even notice that your animal will avoid passing through certain types of floors, including wood or slick tiles. What you can do is to put an area rug to cover the ground so your family pet can still freely maneuver around like he/she always used to at home. If you have been assisting your aging pet in getting down and up the stairs, consider creating a fence which will keep your puppy from climbing up the stairs on his/her own. A fence which is closed will keep your puppy from going up the stairways, which otherwise can possibly cause him/her to fall and get injured.
There is a possibility for older pets to go outside the house more often so they can relieve themselves. So ensure that you provide them with plenty of time to spend outside the house. However, in times when your animals have joint disease, they lose the desire to stand up and play outside due to the pain in their joints. If this happens, place various litter boxes in various areas at home, or portable indoor "doggie potties" for your dogs.
If your animals are familiar with going anywhere with you in your vehicle, they can also have problems jumping to get in the automobile when they are old. Unless your puppy is small and can easily be carried, then you can just carry him or her up to get inside the car. Or you can also place a pet stair for him/her (especially large pets) to get inside the vehicle on his/her own.
It'd also be very useful for your family pet to have a heated therapeutic foam bedding to sleep on particularly on cold days and there's arthritic aches and pains.
Another thing to consider among aging animals is that their skin and coat become increasingly susceptible to dryness. It's thus best to regularly groom your pet as they age to remove the dryness on their skin and coat. Regular grooming will also enable you to immediately detect early signs and symptoms of the development of tumors and other severe abnormalities.
Aging animals are also very much vulnerable to obesity due to less number of activities. You should thus also make adjustments on their eating habits to prevent the diseases associated with becoming too fat.
Lastly, it's also vital that you continue to show your love for your pet by regularly interacting with him/her.
The physical changes encountered by our animals as they get older can either be slow or overnight. However, these changes are not the same for all types of pets - each kind has a certain pattern on bodily changes. Among puppies, the changes also depend on the breed. Generally, dogs are considered to be at their mature age at 7 years old. The little breeds, on the other hand, have a few more years. Cats, however, normally show evident signs of aging in between seven to ten years.
Aging animals have decreasing capability to move; and this is among the most typical features among them. This results from the occurrence of stiff and painful joints, called arthritis. If this condition has not occurred to your family pet yet, you can try to delay it from happening by letting your animal regularly do proper forms of physical exercises. You may even notice that your animal will avoid passing through certain types of floors, including wood or slick tiles. What you can do is to put an area rug to cover the ground so your family pet can still freely maneuver around like he/she always used to at home. If you have been assisting your aging pet in getting down and up the stairs, consider creating a fence which will keep your puppy from climbing up the stairs on his/her own. A fence which is closed will keep your puppy from going up the stairways, which otherwise can possibly cause him/her to fall and get injured.
There is a possibility for older pets to go outside the house more often so they can relieve themselves. So ensure that you provide them with plenty of time to spend outside the house. However, in times when your animals have joint disease, they lose the desire to stand up and play outside due to the pain in their joints. If this happens, place various litter boxes in various areas at home, or portable indoor "doggie potties" for your dogs.
If your animals are familiar with going anywhere with you in your vehicle, they can also have problems jumping to get in the automobile when they are old. Unless your puppy is small and can easily be carried, then you can just carry him or her up to get inside the car. Or you can also place a pet stair for him/her (especially large pets) to get inside the vehicle on his/her own.
It'd also be very useful for your family pet to have a heated therapeutic foam bedding to sleep on particularly on cold days and there's arthritic aches and pains.
Another thing to consider among aging animals is that their skin and coat become increasingly susceptible to dryness. It's thus best to regularly groom your pet as they age to remove the dryness on their skin and coat. Regular grooming will also enable you to immediately detect early signs and symptoms of the development of tumors and other severe abnormalities.
Aging animals are also very much vulnerable to obesity due to less number of activities. You should thus also make adjustments on their eating habits to prevent the diseases associated with becoming too fat.
Lastly, it's also vital that you continue to show your love for your pet by regularly interacting with him/her.
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