The key to helping pet’s live longer and healthier lives is early recognition of problems that come naturally with aging. Follow these guidelines to help your pet make the most of their Golden Years.

1 – Become informed about the common aging changes and medical conditions affecting older pets and the options for therapy. Notify your vet of any concerning symptoms in your pet.

2 – Find an excellent veterinarian. It is advisable for older pets to visit the vet every six months in order to detect problems early and start the best treatment plan.

3 – Provide your older pet the healthiest and most nutritious food you can. Select a natural pet food that does not contain synthetic chemicals or other inferior ingredients which may be more difficult for your older pet to digest.

4 – Don’t overfeed your pet. As many pet’s age, their metabolism and activity levels decline which decreases their need for calories. Food portions must be cut back to avoid weight gain.

5 – Provide your pet adequate exercise. Exercise is imperative in order to avoid obesity and keep your pets muscles strong in order to support aging or arthritic joints

6 – Consider the usage of supplements to counter degenerative organ changes that occur during the aging process.

7 – Continue attending to basic health maintenance such as flea and tick control, dental health, and vaccination to insure your pet is well protected against preventable diseases.

8 – Recognize that older pets often experience hearing loss and failing eyesight. Making simple adjustments around your home can help avoid dangerous situations for your pet.

9 – Avoid stressful situations for your older pet. Recognize what constitutes stress for your pet (crowds, noise, children, etc) and avoid exposure to keep them happy and comfortable.

10 – Provide your pet a constant source of unconditional love, patience and respect.

Click on the title to read the entire article, “Top Ten Secrets to Aging Gracefully“.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Dr Donna Spector, Pet Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.