Easy Adaptions for Your Elderly Pets
Clients with elderly pets are often told to raise their pets food and water bowls. Food and water dishes on the floor place tension on the lower back every time a dog or cat must reach down to eat and drink. Raising the food and water dishes to a height between the elbows and shoulders keeps the back in a neutral position.
One of our clients got creative when Dr. Osborn told him to raise his pets bowls. He designed and built these custom bowl holders for his pets!!
One of our clients got creative when Dr. Osborn told him to raise his pets bowls. He designed and built these custom bowl holders for his pets!!
Help your senior pets enjoy golden care in their golden years with these easy steps to make them more comfortable.
- Identify Pet's Pain: About 20% of dogs and cats across all ages and a whopping 90% of cats more than 10 years old suffer from painful osteoarthritis. This means the first step is to take your pet to the veterinarian to identify and treat any existing pain issues appropriately. Once a pain management plan is in place it's time to ask, "How can I make our home easier to navigate for my beloved, aging furry family member?" There are many simple steps you can take. Consider these and be aware that you are limited only by your imagination.
- Keep Pet's Safe: We owe it to our furry friends to keep them safe as they age, especially when we're not right there to help them out. Baby gates can contain your pet within a designated safe space and prevent unsupervised access to stairs or slippery tile or wood floors that might prompt a fall. Your aging dog may still want to sleep in your bedroom at night, and this poses a challenge if bedrooms are on the second floor of the home. So at bedtime, walk your precious pet upstairs in case she needs some assistance and use a baby gate at the top of the stairs to prevent a middle-of-the-night tumble.
- Back Basics: Beings who walk on all fours need their backs to perform wondrous feats- extension, flexion, side-to-side bending, and rotation along the axis of the body all provide movement in three dimensions. Such a wide range of motion provides many opportunities for injury, both from the forces of gravity as well as the wear and tear of the simple repetitive motions associated with going for walks and playing with toys. So back pain is an important consideration for aging pets. It's wise to anticipate ways to protect your pet's back. Food and water dishes on the floor place tension on the lower back every time a dog or cat must reach down to eat and drink. Raising the food and water dishes to a height between the elbows and shoulders keeps the back in a neutral position. Ramps or carpeted stairs to assist with getting onto and off furniture and beds can protect pets' backs. Also ramps can be used from cat's windowsills and help dogs getting in and out of cars.
- Cater to Cats: Older cats have several special issues to consider. Because cats are descended from desert creatures, they don't drink much water and make very concentrated urine. They are always poised on the brink of dehydration. For older cats with aging kidneys, this can become a real problem, as chronic kidney disease is the most common illness in cats over the age of 8. Many cats are attracted to circulating and moving water. A water fountain with a pump and filter may encourage old cats to drink, helping their kidneys to work more effectively. This hint applies to older dogs too.
- Help them Sleep Tight: You'll also want to turn your attention to your senior pet's sleeping area. Remember, your cat prefers a warmer ambient temperature than you do, and aging cats and dogs will often seek out warmer places to sleep. To create a snuggly sleeping space, you may try including pet beds with adjustable electric heating elements. A word of caution: Never use electric heat under a pet who either can't feel part of their body or can't move away if the heat becomes uncomfortable.
- Maximize Mobility: Aging pets often experience decreased mobility. This can severely compromise their quality of life. For cats, create comfortable resting sports in the areas where your family gathers for activities. Then get in the habit of encouraging the cat to join you, even if it means carrying her to where you're spending time. For dogs, consider a harness for assisted walking and slings with adjustable straps. For canines with very weak or paralyzed rear legs, walking wheelchairs restore outdoor activity.
- Sound & Vision: Your older pet may also experience diminished special senses - in particular sight and hearing. You can help by using brighter bulbs in the light fixtures in some areas of the house. This can make finding the way outside or to food and water dishes easier. It's also a good idea to maintain a familiar household routine. That means not moving furniture, pet bedding, food and water locations, and so on. Even pets who lose their hearing and vision can negotiate their households quite well so long as the surroundings remain predictable.