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Pet Care As Your Companion Ages – Signs and What to Do

Pet care evolves throughout each furry critters life-span. Just like with humans, the way you care for a baby is different from that of an adult or elderly pet. Do you know how to properly care for your pet at the different stages in their life?

The unique pet care required for young animals seems to be well taught. Pet owners are quick to provide soft and easily digested foods for those that are recently weaned. Many also understand that growing pets need extra nutrients and plenty of play time to develop a strong body. Vaccinations and wormers are also all musts. As they approach adulthood, pet care often becomes more standardized unless you have a pet with special needs. In most cases, it consists simply of a nutritious feeding twice a day with plenty of fresh water and daily exercise.

Pet Care for Aging Companions

What about pet care for aging pets though? Unfortunately, this often gets overlooked for a multitude of reasons. It’s easy to forget that your pet ages a lot faster than you and will likely enter their golden years long before you. When your pet does begin to need specialized care it’s not always obvious. Maybe you’re too busy or distracted to notice the subtle struggles your pet is undergoing? Be sure to take note of some simple signs and know how to care for your pet accordingly.

Aging Pet Care Tips

Talk to your vet – It sounds obvious but if you’re less than prompt about those yearly check-ups and only hit the vets office when something is clearly amiss, you may not realize your pets true age. Talking to your vet about when you should start looking to change up your pets nutrition and habits is a great way to stave off those symptoms of age and ensure your pets continued comfort.

Notice your pet’s energy levels – Are they ready for a rest much sooner than usual? Do they act languid before their old play routine is over? Take note of your pet’s energy levels and adjust play time accordingly. Note that this doesn’t mean stop playing with your pet – just play with them differently. Shorten their walking circuit. Shrink their play space so their toys aren’t so spread out. Take them for shorter but more frequent frolics. Essentially know their limits and cater to them accordingly.

Watch their eating and bathroom habits – As pets age, they sometimes need softer food that is easy to digest just like young animals do. If you find they are eating less or seem to have trouble chewing try switching foods. Additionally, if your pet has always had good bathroom habits but lately they seem prone to accidents or going outside their box or “zone” you may need to make adjustments. If your cat uses a litter box try getting one with a lower entry point for easier access. If your dog waits to go outside try introducing puppy pads so there is a safe place for them to go in the house in case they can’t hold it.

Test for nutritional deficiencies – Some pets will experience hair loss and vision or hearing problems. In most cases, the level of pet care you provide will be limited to simply trying to make their life with the disability easier. Some of these problems can be lessened or slowed by correcting nutritional deficiencies associated with age. Consider having your pet checked regularly as they age.

 

 

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