HELPING YOUR OLDER PET THROUGH THE 'GOLDEN YEARS' Our pets have given us so much over the years, so we dont mind giving them a little extra tender loving care during their senior years; they have earned it. Here are some tips to help our old furry friends live a little easier and safer. Putting up baby gates at the top of stairs can prevent pets with poor vision and weak legs from falling down. Pets with arthritis and muscle weakness often have difficulty walking on slippery tile and hardwood floors. Placing plastic or carpet runners will give them a better grip and more confidence while moving around the house. Our aging pets often have poor vision. It is particularly difficult for them to see at night.Leaving a light on will certainly help. Taking a flashlight along on their walks will help them see where they are going. Pets that can't hear well will startle easily when you approach them. Stomping your foot on the floor to alert them of your approach may avoid accidental bites. Older pets with a loss of senses and arthritic pain may be more sensitive to the fast and often unintentional roughness of children. Teach children to be gentle and respectful. Better yet, have them keep their distance from the very old and weak. Older pets have less muscle mass and poor temperature regulation. They will get cold more easily during the winter months. Keep older cats and dogs indoors more. Outdoor cats that wander off the property may loose critical body temperature and not be able to make it back home again. The colder weather is more likely to exacerbate arthritic pain. So will the dampness of a rainy day. Provide soft warm bedding for pets to sleep on. Gentle heat wraps (careful not too hot!), massages and arthritis medications from your veterinarian can keep your old friend more comfortable. The hot summer months can be hazardous too. Many older pets with heart or kidney disease can become dehydrated and over heated very easily. Make sure there is a fan, air conditioning or a shady place to keep them cool. Have plenty of fresh water available too. The proper diet is very important in the later years of life. Older pets have weaker digestive systems. Many of the treats and people food that they have received in the past may no longer be well tolerated. A premium pet food for seniors is designed to be more digestible and better balanced to suite the special needs of an older body. We would be happy to recommend the appropriate diet for your aging furry friend. Large dogs may have difficulty bending to reach their food and water dishes. Creating a platform to raise their dishes may make mealtime more enjoyable. Speaking of meal time, those rotten teeth are no pleasure to live with. Dental disease will cause your pet pain, low grade fevers, weakened immune systems, worsen heart, kidney and liver disease, and may affect their sense of taste and smell. Keeping your pets teeth clean is less risky than you think. You will be surprised how drastically it will improve your pets quality of life. Older pets (just like older people) lose some control of their toiletry habits. Older dogs will need to be taken outdoors more often to relieve themselves. Older cats will need easier access to litter boxes. Have more litter boxes throughout the house. Make sure the sides of the boxes are not too high. Many older cats will not leave their cozy bedroom and go down two flights of stairs to the cold dark basement to climb into the litter box. Although cats do not often show it, they do get the same painful arthritis that dogs and people get. Have your pet checked by your veterinarian regularly, at least every 6 months. A lot of changes can occur in a short period of time in a pets older body.