Caring For Elderly Pets

It makes your heart drop when you come across a video of your best friend razzing around having the time of their life, then glance at them now, sleeping peacefully in their bed, with their gray face and little snores, stiffly wobbling to their legs when they sense you watching them. If love could keep them here, our pets would live forever, but there is nothing as heart wrenching as realising that this is not an option.  

You made it through the ‘land shark’ puppy teeth stage, or the curtain tearing kitten stage, the adolescent stage, where they test their boundaries and push their luck, the vet scare stage and the calm at last stage, and as your best friend approaches the autumn of their life, while they may be less boisterous and a little slower, their level of care is just as crucial, if not more so, than when they were younger.                                                           

Dogs and Cats 

Household Aids 

Stairs for the sofa, your bed and getting into the car are the perfect addition to give your friend that helping hand when they are struggling with jumping up and mobility. Pet stairs come in a huge range of sizes, designs, colours, weight restrictions and gradients, so they can really be tailored to each individual pet.  

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If possible, try to introduce aids such as the stairs to your pet before they need to depend on them. This way, when the time does come for your friend to rely on the stairs, he is already feelingcomfortable and confident in using them.  

Rugs on hard floors are a simple way to give your friend confidence in moving on sometimes slippery floors, especially if their mobility is slightly compromised due to their age. They also give cushion for joints if your friend likes a nap on the floor, and provide the necessary grip for them to get up and get comfortable with aging joints and reduced flexibility.  

Raised feed bowls can be a huge benefit to elderly pets; they can reduce the strain on joints in the neck, chest and front legs, making them particularly advantageous if your friend suffers from arthritis or other joint-related issues. It is however, important to note that raised feed bowls can increase the risk of bloat in some dog breeds, so it is advised to research the benefits of raised bowls for a particular breed, and then the height measurements necessary for that breed.   

Although you may feel silly at first, pet prams are a really useful tool, especially when their mind still can, but their body can no longer. They allow you both to venture that little further, and when your friends’ legs get tired, they can have a ride for a while, until they’ve regained some energy and can hop back out for a sniff and an explore. They are also a great form of enrichment, particularly for house cats, as they can see the world and explore safely with you. Prams are also particularly useful in houses who have dogs at different ages; your oldest friend doesn’t have to miss out on all the fun – they can still come out on adventures, have a rest when they are tired, and make their younger sibling very jealous of their snazzy ride in the process!   

Orthopaedic pet beds can be essential to preserve your friends joint comfort, and allow them a peaceful and comfortable rest. Often times, these orthopaedic beds are a lot firmer than you would think; they are made from thick memory foam or specialised materials that support your pets joints and cushions them from the hard floor. You can also purchase orthopaedic floor mats, that can be used instead of a rug to offer both mobility and joint support for your friend.  

Age-Appropriate Enrichment 

Snuffle boxes are fun for any pet of any age, but can be particularly useful for retaining an older dogs cognitive functions. Each breed, and each individual of that breed are all completely different, and will all be at different stages of age related decline, but a snuffle box can be tailored to even the oldest of pets - providing they are willing to work for a tasty treat! 

‘Find it’ game with treats is a great low impact treasure hunt game that can be played anytime, anywhere and with any treat! Simply break up a treat into bitesize pieces and randomly throw one – once your friend has found it and come back to you for another, throw another treat in another random direction. Again, this can be completely tailored to the mobility and tastebuds of your friend; if your friend struggles with movement, the treats can be hidden in a blanket or their bed, so they can still have a good route around for a tasty titbit, so no matter how old or active they are, everybody can join in! 

Ice lollies; the possibilities with these are endless. You can freeze kibble, wet food, fruit and veggies, raw food, a few naughty treats, KONG paste or even a toy – the list goes on and on! And it doesn’t have to be water that’s frozen; ice lollies are also great when made with bone broth, or for an even tastier treat, heavily diluted gravy! Ice lollies are a fun way to get some nutrients in your friend in a fun and enriching manner, or simply to prolong their favourite goodies. They can be frozen in their food bowl or a Tupperware, or for a less messy version, in a Kong or lick bowl.  

Sniffy walks, scent walks or sniffari’s as they are often called, are excellent for older dogs, as just 15 minutes of sniffing equivalates to 40 minutes of exercise. Sniffy walks are not only a gentle form of exercise, but they are also great enrichment opportunities. Allowing your dog to sniff the places they once zoomed past is a gentle and relaxing way for them to still see the world, and for you to spend some quality time together. 

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An extendable lead is a great tool to use for sniffy walks, especially when having compromised sight and hearing makes an off lead walk a bit risky. It allows your friend that little bit more freedom, whilst still being safe and close by to you. 

Supplements 

YuMove is a popular joint support supplement that is tailored to both dogs and cats (as well as horses and even people!) It is designed to help your pet to maintain their activity and mobility in comfort as they age. Jam packed with Glucosamine, green-lipped muscles, omega 3’s and many more, YuMove helps to support healthy cartilage structure, maintain joint flexibility and alleviate age related stiffness. Joint Support PLUS and PLUS Max Strength are higher strengths of the supplement, which include vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall joint health and mobility.  

Supplementing your friends cognitive health is just as important as their joint and mobility. If you are wanting specific guidance on a cognitive supplement for your friend, we would always recommend consulting with your vet, however, a base point for your research can be found here;  

Omega 3 Fatty Acids are one of the most popular and effective supplements to aid in cognitive health. They are made up of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) which aids brain, eye and cellular health, and Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) that reduces inflammation, contributes to overall cellular function and supports hearth health. Omega 3 supplements can come in either a liquid or in capsules and is readily available and generally considered palatable for your friend.  

Antioxidants such as Vitamins E and C, or herbal antioxidants such as green tea extract or turmeric help to alleviate the imbalance of unstable molecules, known as oxidative stress in the brain. Antioxidants have been proven to support overall brain health and to improve cognitive functions, and with supplements like liquid, capsuled or powered turmeric readily available, they are an easy to reach and relatively low costsupplement to choose.  

Herbal supplements such as Ashwagandha, are great at improving memory and reducing anxiety, particularly in ageing dogs. Ashwagandha can come capsuled, powdered or in liquid form and while slightly expensive, they are readily available online.  

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Always consult with your vet before offering any age related supplement to your pet. They may be able to offer a cheaper or more suitable alternative, and will have lots of advice and recommendations on which supplements work best for your friend’s individual needs. 

Small Pets 

Whether your small friend is a Rabbit or a Guinea Pig, a Chinchilla or a Degu, ageing small pets deserve just as much care and attention as a cat or dog does. So here are a few tips and pointers on how you can adapt your small pet’s world to make it that little bit easier for them as they age.  

Household Aids 

Deeper bedding will provide more support, cushion and warmth for your friend, particularly as they age. Daily spot cleaning will ensure that your friends’ environment remains clean and hygienic, and will help with the longevity of the bedding. There is a multitude of substrate and bedding types available on the market in a whole host of price brackets, so there should be something suitable for everyone.  

If it is viable to do so, consider lowering the height of any raised platforms in your friends enclosure, and having any ladders or climbing equipment at shallower gradients. This can be done by adding more bedding around the platform so the gap from the ledge to the ‘floor’ is smaller, or by having smaller ladders that stop on a platform and then another small ladder from the platform to the floor. This will reduce the risk of falls, injuries and a knock in confidence, as well as alleviate some of the pressure placed on ageing joints. 

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If having cage ladders at a lower gradient isn’t viable with the configuration of the cage, make sure every interior layout has been considered before giving up – it may be that fixtures and fittings need to be moved to accommodate a lower gradient, however if it is really not possible, adding carpet to the ladder will give your friend more stability and grip.  

Including heat sources to your friends enclosure is a good way to not only keep them warm, but to prevent stiff joints that not only come from age, but come from being too cold. Adding multiple heat sources to the enclosure will ensure your friend has multiple opportunities to warm themselves and should aid in keeping them supple for that little bit longer. 

As a pet ages, their mobility deteriorates and becomes more of a challenge. Adding multiple feeding stations will enable your pet to have a drink or something to eat, without having to travel as far. It also gently encourages movement around the enclosure which can lead to some forging and enrichment opportunities. 

Age-Appropriate Enrichment 

Briefly spoken about above, it can be beneficial for ageing pets to have their enclosure redesigned, with fixtures and fittings, cage accessories and amenities that little bit more accessible. This can be done by, as spoken about above, adding multiple elements to their enclosure, so they don’t have to travel too far for access to these, or it may also be beneficial to reduce the size of your friends enclosure. This will ensure that they are only travelling a small distance to reach all of their necessities, and this, paired with deeper bedding, can really improve the safety for your old friend.  

Supplements 

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Always consult with your vet before offering any age related supplement to your pet. They may be able to offer a cheaper or more suitable alternative, and will have lots of advice and recommendations on which supplements work best for your friend’s individual needs. 

Critical Care Herbivore 

Critical Care Herbivore is a fibre rich recovery food, suitable for Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, small Rodents and some reptiles, including Tortoises and Iguanas. This highly digestible feed is jam packed with vital nutrients that can aid with hydration, energy levels and overall recovery.  

Vitamin C for Guinea Pigs 

As Guinea cannot produce their own vitamin C, it is essential that it is provided for them through their diet and supplementation. Guinea Pigs require a daily intake of between 10 – 30mg of Vitamin C, however, it is best consulting a vet to determine the exact dosage required. Vitamin C supports the formation of collagen, which aids in maintaining healthy skin, supple joints, healthy blood vessels, boosting the immune system and iron absorption. Indications that your Guinea Pig has a Vitamin C deficiency include lethargy, joint pain, thinning fur and difficulty in walking.  

Bio-Lapis is a powdered supplement that can be added to a Rabbit’s food or water. Made with a blend of vitamins and electrolytes, Bio-Lapis aids in hydration and supports a healthy gut activity, and with its dandelion flavouring, it is considered highly palatable for Rabbits.  

Here at Legacy Pets, we would always recommend speaking with your vet before actioning any of the recommendations in this bog post; there may be products out there not covered in this post that your vet feels would be more suitable for your furry friend, as each pet is just as individual as the next.  

Its never nice to suddenly realise that your furry friend is in the autumn of their life, but with the guidance of this blog, your vets advice, and maybe some independent research, you truly can make this next chapter of your pets life their best one yet, so spoil them rotten, make the memories, but most importantly of all; don’t count the days, make the days count!