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The Golden
Years...Caring for Aging Pets
Companionship and commitment to your pet has
always been important, but these things are
even more so as they age.
Recognizing your pet is getting older
The rate at which a pet shows signs of aging
depends on a variety of factors, such as breed,
size, and general health.
Commonly, giant and large dogs age more quickly than do
medium-size or small
dogs. Miniature and toy-breed dogs, as well as indoor cats,
tend to live
longer.
As your pet ages, changes occur in its physical
condition, which warrant additional care aside
from the annual veterinary
checkup. Usually these changes are a result of deteriorating body
functions such as hearing or vision, or possibly symptoms of disease.
Most dogs live between 10 to 15 years, and the
average lifespan of cats is 20 years. Many
pets do live to a ripe old age,
but often experience the same aches and pains of old age that
humans suffer.
While it's impossible to breathe new life into an old pet, there are ways to
reduce suffering and provide comfort to our tired old friends.
Aging Tips
Begin with regular checkups. Once your
dog or cat enters mid-life, it's a good idea to let your
vet take a look at
least once a year. Middle age in dogs is generally considered to be around
the age of seven, and eight to ten for cats. Regular checkups will allow
your vet to more
easily identify changes and illness based upon an initial
baseline examination.
Exercise
Keep those legs and paws moving. Daily
exercise can help keep your pet slim and flexible, as
well as help starve off
age-related disorders like digestive problems. Although many experts
recommend walking your pet for at least 20 minutes, twice a day, most admit any
amount
is helpful -- and it's good for you too!
Obesity
Study after study reveal similar findings.
The number one dilemma in the pet population is
obesity. This is the a big
contributor to age-related problems like arthritis and heart
disease. In
cats, it can lead to diabetes. In fact, cats that already have diabetes
may be
able to get it under control, just by trimming surplus pounds.
However, be careful about
sudden changes in diet. Don't rush to make them
if your pet is already slim and healthy.
Proper diet for pets
Life's
Abundance Premium Health Food for Dogs provides a solid, daily
nutritional
foundation, at every age. It is nutrient-dense with vitamins,
minerals, fats and fatty
acids essential for the optimal health of your dog.
Three sources of high-quality protein
including chicken meal, fish meal and eggs
are derived from the very best processing plants.
It is also rich in
powerful antioxidants from fruits, vegetables and other natural sources.
The patented grape seed extract process ensures your dog receives greater amounts
and
a wide range of natural antioxidant properties.
Life's
Abundance Premium Health Food for Cats is nutrient dense with vitamins,
minerals,
fats and fatty acids essential for the optimal health of your cat.
Five sources of high
quality protein including chicken meal, eggs, herring meal,
chicken liver meal and turkey
meal are derived from the very best processing
plants. It is also rich in powerful
antioxidants. The patented grape seed
extract process ensures your cat receives greater
amounts and a wide range
of natural antioxidant properties.
Life's Abundance does not contain corn,
wheat, dairy, by-products, artificial colors or
flavors often found in other
leading brands.
Supplements
Why should you give your cat or dog a
nutritional supplement? All pets have different
nutritional requirements.
Age, activity level, environment, genetic and breed are determining
factors.
Although a good premium food will provide a solid foundation, food alone cannot
supply all the nutrients necessary to fulfill those unique requirements. The
Advanced
Daily Supplement is specifically formulated to provide your dog or cat
with
the additional nutrients necessary for good health. Plus, it contains
powerful plant nutrients
to help support a healthy defense system to fight off
free radicals.
Antioxidants
Antioxidant
Health Bars for Dogs contain the following all-natural and wholesome
ingredients
that provide over 70 antioxidant compounds and other important
nutrients: Stabilized
rice bran (a patented and non-chemically treated RiceX
stabilized rice bran and germ),
carrots, spinach, eggs, apples, peanut butter,
barley and flax seed oil.
These ingredients are particularly important
for the following reasons: stabilized rice bran
provides powerful antioxidant
compounds. Carrots can promote healthy eyes and
cardiovascular system.
Spinach can promote strong bones and muscles. Eggs can promote
an overall
strong and healthy body. Apples can promote a healthy GI tract and also
help
remove heavy metals and toxins. Peanut butter can provide essential
oils and proteins
necessary for every system in the body. Barley can help
aid healing and fat metabolism.
Flax seed oil can promote healthy skin and
coat and help support a strong immune system.
Water
Many pets naturally drink less as they get
older, which can cause dehydration. All the more
reason to keep water
bowls filled with fresh, clean water. It may also be of great importance
to keep water bowls in different parts of the house. This is particularly
important if your
pet doesn't get around as well as it used to.
Dental Care
Dental problems are common for both older dogs
and cats if their teeth are not being brushed.
Dental tartar, a mixture of
minerals and bacteria, will build up eventually and cause gingivitis.
If
untreated, this can lead to gum recession and pocketing, allowing the teeth to
lose their
supportive attachments and to become loose. Routine dental
cleanings are necessary
to prevent these problems in humans. Pets are not
much different. Preventing dental
problems by cleaning and at-home care is
crucial to avoid more serious troubles later in life.
Daily Oral Care will help your pet to maintain a healthy and
pleasant smelling mouth.
Our
Daily Oral Care formula is a great way to supplement your home pet dental
care routine. Separation Anxiety
Though your pet may never have shown any
anxiety over being left alone or away from
you before, older pets can become
anxious in your absence. Separation anxiety can result
from the discomfort
of degenerative changes related to aging or medical problems.
Minor diseases and ailments
Older pets are prone to a host of minor
diseases and ailments. Any unusual lump deserves
your vet's attention
because they could be a sign of cancer, infection or a warning of
several other
disorders.
Shortness of breath may foretell a problem.
If your dog or cat often appears to be short of
breath or winded, a visit to the
vet is advised. This could be a sign of heart problems.
Changes in appetite may be a precursor to
kidney failure and several other disorders, which
can become apparent through
your pet's eating habits. As a general rule, pets that do not
feel well,
will refuse to eat.
Although pets do commonly lose weight as they
age, any dramatic weight loss should be
brought to your vet's attention.
Feeding the Senior Dog
Except for the fact that a senior dog may be
set in its ways -- and unhealthy ones at that --
they need to follow the same
rules the younger ones do, with some exceptions. Frequently,
smaller meals
will aid digestion. The higher-quality the protein, the better; and it
shouldn't
be reduced be reduced unless a veterinarian tells you to. Some
senior dogs have a tendency
to gain weight. The
Canine
Zone is a weight-loss food that actually works and will keep your
dog in
robust good health with a shiny coat and the energy to live life to its fullest.
Feeding the Senior Cat
Feed smaller portions more frequently -- three
or four times daily. This eases the stress
on internal organs, keeps the
immune system strong, and keeps your cat's energy level
from falling.
Don't feed your cat baby food. The calcium/phosphorus ratio is wrong for
felines and can worsen many health problems.
Your cat needs a high quality
Daily
Supplement because all cats have different nutritional
requirements.
Although a good premium food will provide a solid foundation, food alone
cannot
supply all the nutrients necessary to fulfill those unique requirements. A
deficiency
of just one or more nutrients can leave your cat vulnerable to
disease. Nutrients that
specifically support your cat's natural defenses
are vital to good health.
One final thought on caring for aging
pets: Their old age affects them, just as it
does humans. Now, with the
life-affirming products from
HealthyPetNet
you can help
your pet age gracefully.
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