Nobody wants to face the thought of their beloved pet growing old, but aging is inevitable. Fortunately, you can help your senior pet age with grace by improving key areas of their life. Here are five ways to boost your senior pet’s health and happiness.

Improve your senior pet’s living arrangements

As your pet grows older, their once cushy living arrangements and free rein of your house with their resources spread throughout can become problematic, because they will no longer want to travel from one room to another—or another floor—for their bed, food, water, and litter box or outdoor access. Senior pets will appreciate one resource station that holds all their necessities.

You can also improve your senior pet’s living spaces by:

  • Switching to orthopedic beds that provide maximum joint support
  • Adding self-warming heating pads to beds to soothe aching joints
  • Setting the thermostat to a comfortable temperature for your pet, since senior pets struggle to regulate their body temperature
  • Purchasing low-sided cat litter boxes
  • Elevating food and water bowls to a comfortable height
  • Removing hazards, such as loose rugs or electrical cords, that could be a tripping hazard
  • Blocking off unsafe areas, such as stairways and fireplaces
  • Increasing visibility with nightlights in dark hallways and rooms

Improve your senior pet’s mobility

Many pet owners believe their senior pets slow down and become less active from normal aging, but arthritis and other degenerative orthopedic or neurological conditions are often to blame. Keep your four-legged friend on their paws and active by:

  • Adding traction to slippery surfaces with carpet runners, rugs, and yoga mats
  • Installing ramps and pet steps so they can bypass stairs and tall furniture
  • Applying toe grips or friction aids to paw pads to make walking easier
  • Supporting them with a mobility aid, such as a harness with handles or a sling
  • Downgrading exercise and play intensity, but increasing frequency
  • Modifying activities to low-impact alternatives
  • Maintaining a healthy weight

Improve your senior pet’s diet

Diet plays a huge role in health and wellness for any species, and your senior pet’s changing nutritional needs require a special diet for optimal health. As your pet ages, they may need a diet that contains:

  • Reduced calories
  • High quality protein of varying levels
  • Less phosphorus and sodium
  • Increased fiber content
  • Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)
  • Antioxidants
  • Omega-3 fatty acids

Pets with chronic health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, and arthritis, can benefit from specialized prescription diets. These diets are formulated to support organ function and overall health should be included in most treatment plans. 

You can also incorporate supplements into your senior pet’s daily regimen. Supplements packed with glucosamine and chondroitin can improve mobility and joint health, while MCTs and antioxidants can preserve cognitive function. Supplements are typically benign, but if your pet is already taking other medications or supplements, consult with our Memorial Animal Hospital veterinarian before adding to your pet’s diet.

Improve your senior pet’s cognitive function

As your pet ages, they will likely experience some cognitive dysfunction, which is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in people. Senior pets may become confused and disoriented, alter their sleep patterns, vocalize excessively, or develop serious anxiety. They may forget learned behaviors and specific locations in their environment, which can lead to changes in eating, drinking, and bathroom habits. 

Exercise your pet’s brain like any other muscle to keep their mind sharp. Activities that will mentally stimulate your pet include:

  • Feeding them from a food puzzle instead of a bowl
  • Training new tricks and brushing up on old ones
  • Visiting new locations, people, and pets
  • Allowing them to expressing natural behaviors (e.g., digging, sniffing, scratching, climbing)

Improve your senior pet’s preventive health care

Adult pets typically visit their veterinarian annually, but senior pets should be examined more frequently—twice-yearly, if not more, wellness visits are critical for keeping your senior pet happy and healthy. These preventive care visits protect your pet against infectious diseases as their immune system and body weaken, and can detect early stage diseases before they cause serious problems. 

Key parts of preventive health care for senior pets include:

  • Semi-annual physical exams
  • Lifestyle-appropriate vaccinations
  • Parasite screening and prevention
  • Early detection screening tests (e.g., blood work, urinalysis, blood pressure reading, thyroid level check, survey X-rays)
  • Regular dental care
  • Nutrition recommendations
  • Therapeutic drug monitoring

Although your pet may be growing older, they still have plenty of life and love left for their golden years. Improve your senior pet’s health and happiness by scheduling their semi-annual wellness visit with our Memorial Animal Hospital team.