Special Needs for Senior Pets

GUELPH, ON, Oct. 1, 2018 /CNW/ - It can be very difficult to watch your pet grow older, but it is also an opportunity for pet parents to give back to their animals that have loved them unconditionally. Thanks to modern medicine, preventative care and better nutrition, pets are living longer, healthier lives. We are fortunate to be living in an age where there are multiple options available to support a senior pet's special needs.

What is the best food choice for a senior pet?

Senior dogs and cats benefit from routine veterinary care (CNW Group/Canadian Animal Health Institute)

There is no one pet food that is perfect for all animals entering their senior years. Each pet is an individual with unique nutritional needs. For healthy animals, a diet should be complete and balanced and manufactured by a company that has excellent safety and quality control standards. There are also therapeutic diets available for conditions frequently diagnosed in older animals including osteoarthritis, cognitive decline, and kidney disease. Your veterinarian can help recommend a diet that best suits your pet's individual needs.

Does my pet still need exercise?

As pets get older, there is a tendency to think they require less activity. In fact, the opposite is true. While you may need to adjust the type of activity you do with your pet, such as walking slowly during the cooler times of the day, exercise is important for mental as well as physical stimulation.

How do I know if my pet is in pain?

Animals, especially cats, are experts at hiding that they are in pain. Just like humans, they may have dental pain, back pain or arthritis that needs to be addressed. The best option is to visit your veterinarian where they can do a thorough assessment and provide you with pain management options. Nowadays, there are many choices available to help pets including medication and nutrition as well as alternative therapies such as acupuncture, laser therapy, and massage.

Senior pets need our love and kindness more than ever. Some of the most treasured memories you will have of your pet is the time you spent caring for them as they got older.

SOURCE Canadian Animal Health Institute

Colleen McElwain Canadian Animal Health Institute [phone]