How to Keep Your Senior Pet Healthy and Happy
As our pets age, they start to need a little extra care from us to keep them feeling their best. Whether you’ve got a senior dog or an older cat, it’s important to understand the changes they’re going through. When you’re informed about senior pet health, you can keep up with the extra duties that come with loving an older pet.
That’s why the team at Sunrise Boulevard Animal Hospital would like to share three key wellness tips to help you ace senior pet care.
3 Tips to Care for Aging Pets
1. Don’t Skip the Vet Visits
Just like us, pets need more frequent health check-ups as they get older. Regular vet visits are the best way to catch any common issues in senior pets early, like arthritis, dental problems, or kidney disease. Once your dog or cat approaches their seventh birthday, it’s a good idea to bump up vet visits to twice a year.
These check-ups can help you stay on top of your pet’s health and adjust his care if needed. They also give you peace of mind knowing you’re doing everything you can to keep your older fur-babies well.
2. Keep Nutrition and Exercise at the Top of Your Mind
Proper nutrition is essential to your older pet’s health. As they age, our pets’ metabolism slows down. This means they don’t need as many calories—but they still need plenty of nutrients. Senior pet foods are specially designed to meet these needs. They offer just the right balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats to support senior pets’ joints, digestion, and overall health.
Feeding your older pet the right type and amount of food helps prevent unhealthy weight gain. Extra weight is hard on your pet’s joints and can put her at risk of conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease.
If you’re unsure which pet food is right for your senior dog or cat, talk to your veterinarian. Your vet can also guide you in the right direction when it comes to supplements, like omega-3s for joint health or probiotics to help with tummy troubles.
Oh, and don’t stop the daily walks just because your pet is aging! Regular exercise is just as important to senior pets as it is to younger ones. Just take it slow and easy.
3. Pay Attention to Any New Changes
Catching potential health issues early can help improve your pet’s chances of a healthy and happy geriatric period. Keep an eye out for any signs that make you think something is off with your pet. You might see things like confusion, limping, anxiety, or unexpected changes in behavior, for instance.
With any change, talk to your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Your Partners in Wellness
The empathetic team at Sunrise Boulevard Animal Hospital is here to help your pet transition into his golden years with comfort and ease. Reach out to us at 916-726-2334 to schedule a senior pet wellness appointment!