Caring for Senior Pets

As our furry companions age into their senior years, their care requirements evolve and change with them. Understanding how to care for senior pets is crucial for ensuring your aging dog or cat gets the care necessary to remain healthy and happy. Sagamore Hills Animal Hospital in Sagamore Hills, OH, understands this senior pet transition and provides specialized geriatric care to keep your pet comfortable. We are here to tell you how to care for your aging pet in its twilight years.

Adapting Activity and Exercise

Aging dogs and cats often face gradual mobility restrictions and the onset of arthritis. To adjust for these changes, keep comfortable areas in your home for your senior pet to rest that do not require strenuous movement. While your once lively pet may not be as physically active in its senior years, exercise is still crucial for your pet’s joint health and circulation. Aim for shorter walks daily and adjust the pace to your pet’s needs. Swimming and therapeutic stretches also improve joint flexibility.

Nutritional Adjustments

Sustaining healthy weight distribution and muscle tone relies on metabolism-supportive diets as pets enter maturity. Talk with your veterinarian about your pet’s nutrition needs as it reaches seniority. They can determine dietary changes your pet may require to maintain health and wellness. Proper nutrition prevents weight gain and low energy while supporting joint care, immunity, and organ function. You can also consider digestive aids to ensure your pet absorbs nutrients correctly.

Prioritizing Preventative Vet Care

Preventative care remains just as vital for senior pets as younger ones. Annual exams, vaccines, dental cleanings, and diagnostic testing establish health baselines for your pet. Changes in these baselines help your vet detect issues that need early intervention to prevent health complications. Blood work helps diagnose developing issues in senior pets, such as kidney disease, thyroid disorders, and cancers.

Supplementing Mobility

If osteoarthritis advances beyond activity management, various joint supplements add comfortably to senior care regimens. Chondroitin, glucosamine, and hyaluronic acid nourish cartilage and lubricate joints. Anti-inflammatory pain medications also contribute to arthritis relief. Always check with your veterinarian about supplements before giving them to your pet.

Contact Our Animal Hospital for Geriatric Pet Care Today

Adapting to your senior pet’s changing needs is crucial for ensuring your pet continues living a healthy and happy life, so contact Sagamore Hills Animal Hospital in Sagamore Hills, OH, to get the geriatric pet care needed to maintain your pet’s health in its twilight years. We offer customized care plans that improve the quality of life for pets through every stage of life, so call us and schedule an appointment at (330) 468-2900 today.