Senior Pet Care: 6 Mistakes to Avoid

With around 28% of dogs and more than 25% of cats being at least 8 years old, you or someone you know might be dealing with a senior pet at home. When pets reach senior years it is important to learn how to best care for them so that they can live their best life comfortably.  

Keep reading our guide to learn the top mistakes to avoid when it comes to caring for senior pets.

1. Skip Pet Exams

You want to make sure you don’t skip your fur babies' exams and annual checkups. As pets age, it is imperative to detect any health problems as early as possible. Preventative care and physical exams are a must to perform physical tests and blood tests to check the state of their health. 

There are also fecal exams, urinalysis, blood counts, etc. that can be done to find any internal issues. Early detection done at a reputable place like Ahccmadison is key in helping your senior pet to recover from medical issues. Talk to your veterinarian about their recommendation on how often they think your pet should have their exams or any additional exams they think would be helpful.

2. Not Keeping Them Active

It is important for your pet to have regular exercise. This is going to help them maintain an ideal weight while also keeping their overall health at its best. Make sure you start light when it comes to exercise if they are not used to daily exercise. 

You can slowly build their stamina with light jogs and regular walks. If you are constantly working you can hire someone to come and take your fur baby out for their daily exercise routine. You can also invest in an interactive laser toy. 

There are pet cameras where you can control them from your phone to entertain your pet while you are gone. You can also set these toys up to be on autoplay mode if you can’t be on your phone while you’re working. 

3. Not Changing Their Environment

When pets are getting older you need to also make small adjustments to their environment. You might need to put down some extra rugs or more carpeting so that your fur baby will not slip on the floor and so that they can get up easier from the ground. 

Sometimes you will need to place ramps to get in and out of your home if there are too many steps. This is also a way for them to get onto the furniture if they are used to laying on your couches or bed. 

It should also be easy for your pet to find their food and water bowls. Consider getting elevated dog bowls to eliminate extra strain on their head and neck. 

4. Not Change Their Diet

As pets age, their diet needs to change and be age-appropriate for them. Having a balanced diet will play a major role in maintaining your pet’s health. Keep in mind that older pets are at a much higher risk of becoming obese because their energy level and metabolism slows down. 

You need to change their food to something that is designed for senior dogs. This special food will help prevent weight gain. 

5. Skip Grooming 

You do not want to skip out on grooming as your dog ages, even though it might be tempting. As pets age, their skin and fur might become brittle and dull, so you need to take extra care of them. 

Some senior pets suffer from irritated and dry skin. You need to brush their fur regularly and also give them timely grooming sessions to avoid dealing with tangles and mats. Make sure you opt for shampoos that will nourish their skin and also heal any skin conditions they might develop such as dry skin.

6. Ignoring Your Pet

Although it is difficult to witness your pet age, you do not want to ignore your pet, and instead, you want to spend as much time as possible with your fur baby. Try to cherish all the memories and live in the moment as much as possible while you are hanging out with your senior fur baby. 

Having your presence is important for a pet’s mental and emotional health. 

Ready to Help Your Senior Pet Thrive?

Now that you learned the top mistakes to avoid when caring for your senior pet, you can make informed decisions. Remember that even though your pup is not as active and energetic as they were before they still need your love and attention. 

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