Senior Pet Care
Pets age much faster than people do. The average life span of a dog is twelve years, and for a cat it is fourteen. This translates to a nine year old dog being comparable to a 50 year old person and a ten year old cat is approaching sixty human years. So how can we help them through these years of aches and pains? Give them Glucosamine. It is a building block necessary for cartilage function and nutrition. You can also use a “Pet Step” which is a ramp to help them up onto beds or furniture to limit the impact of jumping.
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Step 1:
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Natural Aging Process
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Aging is a natural process, and an unavoidable fact of life. It's easy to forget that our pets age much more quickly than we do.
The average lifespan of a dog is twelve years. Cats live to around fourteen years of age. That means a nine-year-old dog is actually fifty-two years old in human years. A ten-year-old cat is fifty-six in human years.
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Step 2:
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Ailments
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One of the most common ailments facing older pets is osteoarthritis. What people can do at home for the older pet is give it glucosamine. Glucosamine is one of the building blocks necessary for cartilage function and nutrition.
You can make it easier for your pets to get up to beds and sofas with a device called the Pet Step. It's a portable ramp that reduces the effect of jumping.
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Step 3:
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Pet Example
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Goldie here is a senior pet. She's sixty-eight years old in human terms. Therefore, she gets stiff joints. The best thing you can do for her is massage.
You can start with the back end and do gentle rubbing motions in circles, or you can go along either side of the spine. Remember, always check with your veterinarian or professional dog masseuse before attempting any of this. You could injure your dog.
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Step 4:
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Senior Pet Care Tips
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Here are some other tips for taking care of your older pets. Keep them warm-- bring pets inside when it's cold; it can help arthritis.
If your dog is leaking around the house, consider doggie diapers or a homeopathic product called "Leaks No More." For pets with discomfort and mobility issues, consider acupuncture; you can find a list of qualified providers at AHVMA.org.