Your four-legged friend’s health care needs change as they age, and you must be prepared to provide the support they deserve. Our Town & Country Animal Hospital PC team knows how much you love your senior pet, and we offer this pop quiz so you can test your knowledge to ensure your aging pet gets the care they need. 

Question: Do you know when your pet reaches senior status?

Answer: The age your pet reaches senior status may surprise you, because dogs and cats age much more quickly than people. In addition, many senior pets’ behavior remains unchanged, making you think they are still young and spry. The age pets reach senior status varies:

  • Cats — Felines are typically considered senior at about 10 years of age.
  • Small- or toy-breed dogs — Dogs who weigh less than 20 pounds reach senior status at about 8 to 11 years. 
  • Medium-size dogs — Dogs who weigh 20 to 50 pounds are typically considered senior between 8 and 10 years of age.
  • Large-breed dogs — Dogs who weigh 50 to 90 pounds reach senior status at 8 to 9 years.
  • Giant-breed dogs — Dogs who weigh more than 90 pounds are considered senior at 6 to 7 years of age.

Q: How often do senior pets need veterinary wellness care?

A: All pets should be evaluated by a veterinarian at least once a year because they are great at hiding signs of pain and illness, and you may not realize they are sick or hurt until their condition is advanced. Since senior pets are at increased risk for age-related conditions such as cataracts, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, and thyroid disorders, they should be evaluated at least every six months to help detect these conditions earlier when they are easier to manage. If your pet has a known health condition, our team may recommend more frequent health care screenings. 

Q: How can you tell if your senior pet has arthritis?

A: Arthritis is common in senior pets but often goes undiagnosed and untreated, leaving the pet in pain. This isn’t because pet owners ignore their pet’s pain but because, in many cases, they don’t recognize the signs. Most arthritic pets don’t limp or vocalize to indicate their joints hurt. Signs that may indicate your pet has arthritis pain include:

  • Stiffness, especially after resting
  • Decreased interest in interaction with family members—both the two- and four-legged variety
  • Increased time spent resting or sleeping
  • Weight gain
  • Difficulty navigating stairs
  • Hesitancy when jumping on or off high surfaces
  • Avoiding jumping to high surfaces
  • Decreased interest in play and other physical activities
  • Inadequate grooming
  • Overgrooming in one area (e.g., over a painful joint)
  • Refusal to use the litter box

Q: How can you offer support for your arthritic senior pet?

A: Pain medications and joint supplements can significantly improve your arthritic pet’s quality of life, and our team can prescribe an appropriate treatment plan. In addition, you can make changes to your home to provide support, such as:

  • Keeping your pet at a healthy weight — The best way to help your arthritic senior pet is to keep them at a healthy weight. This reduces strain on their painful joints and helps prevent inflammation caused by adipose tissue. 
  • Providing ramps — Place ramps or stairs near your pet’s favored resting spots so they can access these areas easily without jumping.
  • Covering slippery surfaces — Senior pets often have mobility issues and may have difficulty keeping their balance when walking across slippery surfaces. Use rugs or mats to cover these surfaces and to provide better traction for your four-legged friend.
  • Investing in orthopedic bedding — Provide orthopedic, comfortable bedding to ensure your arthritic pet’s joints are supported while they rest.
  • Providing low-sided litter boxes — To prevent inappropriate elimination, provide low-sided litter boxes so your cat doesn’t have to navigate high sides to use the bathroom.
  • Raising food and water bowls — Arthritis can affect your pet’s shoulders, elbows, and neck, making crouching to eat and drink painful. Raising their bowls helps prevent this uncomfortable posture.

Q: How can you tell if your senior pet has cognitive dysfunction?

A: Many pet owners attribute cognitive dysfunction signs to normal aging issues. Signs that may indicate your senior pet has cognitive dysfunction include:

  • Disrupted sleep/wake cycles
  • Getting lost in familiar locations or stuck in corners or behind furniture
  • Not recognizing familiar people or pets
  • Inappropriate elimination outside the litter box or failing to signal the need to go out
  • Increased anxiety
  • Behavioral changes (e.g., increased clinginess, increased hiding, aggression)
  • Forgetting previously known commands or tricks

Q: How can you support your pet if they have cognitive dysfunction?

A: Cognitive dysfunction has no cure, but certain medications and supplements may help slow the progression of the disease. Ways you can help include:

  • Interacting daily — Make time each day to interact with your senior pet. Try teaching them a new trick or simply spend time grooming them.
  • Exercising your pet — Daily exercise helps keep your senior pet physically and mentally fit. Choose an appropriate activity for your four-legged friend’s fitness level.
  • Making mealtimes more fun — Use a food puzzle toy to feed your pet to help stimulate their brain.
  • Choosing new routes — Find new roads or trails to explore with your pet to expose them to new sights, sounds, and smells.

Contact our Town & Country Animal Hospital PC team to schedule your senior pet’s biannual wellness visit or if you are concerned they are affected by arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, or any other age-related condition.