All you wanted to know about senior pet care

Time flies when you’re having fun – especially with a beloved dog or cat. Pets make our long days not only bearable, but worthwhile, and sharing affection with a pet helps us return to the moment when we’re anxious or overwhelmed. The only problem with pets is that they too get old, slow down, require additional special care, and a different approach to their health and wellbeing.

As our playful pups and agile felines age into senior pets, there are a number of health challenges we need to be aware of, and adjustments to make to our seniors’ pet care. The following questions represent pet owners’ most pressing concerns when it comes to senior pet care.

At what age is a pet considered a senior?

Pets ‘officially’ become seniors when they pass their average mid-life mark. With high-quality pet nutrition and better veterinary care compared to even a few decades ago, dogs and cats are living longer, healthier lives. Well-cared-for cats are now reaching age of 20 years old and older. Therefore, they are considered ‘senior’ between the ages of seven and 11 years old.

Dog ages are based on breed and size, with smaller breeds living longer than large and giant breeds. Therefore, small dogs reach their senior status by around eight years old, medium size dogs are considered senior by age seven, and large and giant breeds are seen as senior by age five or six.

Why does it matter? Acknowledging your pet’s passage into their senior years means acknowledging that it’s time to adjust their diet to suit their nutritional requirements, to supplement their nutrition with vitamins, minerals and enzymes that repair or slow degenerative disorders and support their vital organs, and to adjust their activity levels to meet their new needs for low-impact, moderate exercise.

If you need any guidance or confirmation regarding your pet’s senior status, speak to the vet and get their recommendation on the best way forward with senior pet care.

What are some common health issues in senior dogs and cats?

As pets age, they may suffer from wear-and-tear in their joint cartilage, developing the very common pet osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease. This could leave them with painful joints and a stiff gait, difficulty lying down and getting up from their bed, and difficulty squatting when eliminating or using the litter box.
Painful joints can also make senior pets less active, which could lead to weight gain. Carrying additional weight puts more pressure on their already painful joints, which just exacerbates the lack of exercise. It’s a vicious cycle, but much of the joint pain can be relieved by changing their diet, feeding fewer treats and snacks, doing moderate, low-impact exercise every day, and ensuring they lose weight.
Your senior pet’s dental health will also come under the spotlight, the older they get. Ageing pets may be more susceptible to periodontal disease and gingivitis from a build-up of plaque, tooth loss, and other dental issues. It is critically important to get your dog or cat’s teeth checked out annually (and cleaned, if necessary) by the vet.
Ageing pets’ internal organs can experience a decrease in healthy function. Cats and dogs can experience kidney disease or renal failure, urinary tract and bladder infections, diabetes and reduced thyroid function (leading to weight gain, fatigue, and changes in the skin and coat).
Ageing pets can also experience heart disease, cognitive decline and sight and hearing loss. These are progressive, long-term illnesses that will need compassionate care and changes made to routines and living spaces to accommodate your pet’s health and wellbeing.
As your pet ages, take them to the vet for their annual check-up and dental cleaning, and raise any concerns you may have about your pet’s health. The frequency of your pet’s check-ups may need to increase to twice-yearly, but confirm with the vet when they want to see your pet again.

How can I tell if my pet is ageing?

You are with your pet every day and might not notice the subtle changes that indicate they are ageing. The first thing you may notice, however, is their greying fur. There may be white strands of fur in black or dark brown coats, or muzzles going grey and then white.

Ageing pets will gradually move slower, get up later, be less active, and may experience changes in their sleeping patterns. There may also be a change in your pet’s appetite: cats may become pickier about what they eat as their senses of smell and taste decline, so their food will need to be more aromatic and palatable to get them to eat. Dogs’ digestion may not be as efficient as they age, and changes in appetite may make them gain or lose weight. As they age, both dogs’ and cats’ kidneys may deteriorate, which can increase their thirst. Drinking more water and urinating more than usual is a sign of ageing that should be taken seriously.

Always keep an eye on your pet’s appetite, behaviour and body condition, and make an appointment with the vet if you are concerned about their ageing and wellbeing.

What should I feed my senior pet?

As pets get older and are less active due to osteoarthritis and general slowing down, their diet will need to change to accommodate these changes in their body. Senior pet foods contain higher quality lean proteins to help maintain muscle mass; less fat, since they don’t need as much energy as younger pets do; more fibre to aid better digestion; and a different vitamin and mineral profile to be easier on the kidneys. Omegas-3 and -6 support brain, skin and coat maintenance, while joint supplements are included to slow down the degenerative effects of osteoarthritis.

As your pet ages, ask the vet to recommend a senior pet food that will meet their requirements and support their health and wellbeing.

How often should senior pets visit the vet?

In general, your pets should see the vet at least once a year for a health check-up, vaccinations, and dental consultation and cleaning. This gives the vet the opportunity to monitor your pet’s health and screen them for any chronic conditions. When your pets age into their senior years, they are more susceptible to health conditions like hypothyroidism, diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart disease and decreased renal function. So, ideally, senior pets should see the vet at least twice a year, if not more, to monitor their health.

Is it normal for older pets to sleep more?

It’s totally normal for older pets to sleep more. Senior pets have less energy and tire out faster than when they were younger. Those senior dogs with osteoarthritis, kidney disease, heart disease or hypothyroidism (which can cause lethargy), may end up sleeping more. If they are in pain, sleeping on a supportive memory foam mattress is very comforting, and so they may spend more time in slumber. Pets who have decreased hearing ability may sleep more because they don’t wake up from audible disruptions.

If your senior pet it sleeping more, but their appetite and awareness are normal when they are awake, it’s most likely that they are resting more because they are old. If they are sleeping more, but have a decreased appetite and seem ‘off’ when they are awake, take your pet to the vet for a check-up, as this may indicate an underlying health problem.

Why is my senior pet losing weight?

Usually, as pets age and become less active, they gain weight. However, some senior pets may experience a few changes in their physical condition that can account for weight loss. When they slow down and are less active, especially as a result of osteoarthritis, they can lose muscle mass. They may also have different dietary requirements in their old age, which are not being met, hence the weight loss.

There may also be an underlying health concern causing the weight loss, so if your senior pet is losing weight inexplicably, make an appointment to see the vet. Their weight loss may be the result of:

Liver or gallbladder disease (accompanied by increased thirst, lethargy, bouts of vomiting or diarrhoea, yellow gums, skin and/or eyes)
Heart disease (quick to tire, persistent cough, panting, restlessness, exercise intolerance)
Kidney disease (increased thirst and urination, which may be bloody, appetite loss, vomiting, lethargy, pale gums)
Diabetes (increased thirst and urination, increased appetite, urinary tract infections, fatigue)
Periodontitis/dental disease (bleeding gums, excessive salivation, bad breath, difficulty chewing kibble)
Cancer (lumps on or under the skin, increased urination, distended abdomen, limping, lethargy)

How do I know if my senior pet is suffering from osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common illnesses in older pets because they are at the age where wear and tear on their joints, muscles and bones will start to show. The signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

walking with stiff, straight legs
limping
lameness
reluctance to play
decreased willingness to move
decreased energy
slow, difficult rising out of a lying position
quick flop down into a lying position, from standing
changes in the way they sit – extending the painful leg or joint
crying or grumbling when lying down or getting up

Once energetic pets with lots of stamina and exuberance will display noticeably slowed behaviour if pain and inflammation are affecting their joints.

What changes can I make at home to make things more comfortable for my senior pet?

It is so important for pets’ quality of life that pet owners make changes to accommodate their evident ageing. The first changes to make that directly impact your senior pets’ health include:

Put your pet on a high-quality senior pet’s diet – ask the vet to recommend the best senior diet for your individual pet.
Supplement your senior pet’s diet with supplements that meet their need for additional skin and coat, eye, brain, joint, heart, kidney or digestive support (depending on what your senior pet specifically needs).
Decrease the duration and intensity of your senior pet’s walks and/or exercise. If your dog tires easily or slows down on long walks, shorten and slow the walks, or offer them a few shorter walks instead of one long walk per day. If you have a swimming pool or live near a body of water, swimming offers low-impact exercise that will keep your dog fit while protecting their joints. Older cats with decreased mobility may naturally spend less time being active and more time sleeping.
Ask the vet for advice on your senior pet’s weight loss – especially when a decrease in activity results in an increase in body mass. Many senior pet problems can be aided or prevented by losing weight. This may require a change in diet as well as more frequent exercise and a commitment to reduce treating or feeding your senior pet any table scraps.
Upgrade your senior pet’s bed with a memory foam mattress. Memory foam offers fantastic support, especially for painful joints and ageing spine, and it retains the animal’s body heat, radiating it back to them. Heat is a wonderful pain reliever for inflamed joints.
Raise your pet’s bed off the floor (relative to their height) to make it easier for them to lie down and get up from a prone position. This also keeps them out of cold drafts on the floor.
Place pet stairs next to the furniture your pet likes to climb up on, such as your bed or the couch. Pet stairs eliminate the impact on your senior pet’s joints if they are inclined to jump up on or down from furniture.
If your senior pet tends to slip on your tiled, laminate or polished flooring, place rugs or runners in the areas of the house they frequent. This will help to protect their joints from what can become very painful slips and spills.
Evaluate your cat’s toileting habits. If they usually ‘go’ outdoors, but now spend more time indoors because of mobility issues, it may be time to offer them a litter box indoors. If you have one or two litter boxes indoors for your cat/s, but they are upstairs, consider placing one upstairs and one downstairs, or placing two litter boxes on the level where your cat spends the most time. Having an indoor litter box will also give you the opportunity to keep an eye on your cat’s toileting habits and detect any issues that indicate health problems (such as increased urination, constipation, blood in their waste, etc.).
Assist your cat with grooming. Senior cats may no longer be as flexible as they once were, and can’t reach all the places they used to groom because of pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis. You can assist your cat by brushing her three times a week and cleaning up around her anus to prevent faecal matter from sticking to her fur. It may also be useful to trim long-haired cats’ fur under their tail to simplify their clean-up.
Look out for hairballs in older cats, as their digestive system isn’t as efficient as it was when they were younger. A change in diet as well as offering supplements for hairball control may be all that is needed, but take your cat for a check-up if you are concerned about hairballs and vomiting.

Each senior pet will be different and will have different needs. Observe your senior pet and make adjustments to their routine and in your home to ensure their quality of life is as good as it can be for where they are. If you have any doubts or concerns about your senior pet’s health, make an appointment with the vet for a check-up.

Can senior pets still play and be active?

Senior pets can – to the best of their ability – still play and be active. They may just be less energetic or play for shorter periods of time. However, it is useful to still encourage your senior pet to play – they certainly benefit from the physical exercise as well as the mental stimulation generated by play. Playtime with your senior pet can help to reinforce your bond, and let them know you are still their best friend and care about their wellbeing.

You may need to retire the frisbee and ball-throwing toys, but puzzle toys and a slow game of fetch with a plush toy (or wand toy for cats) can work wonders in helping your senior pet feel engaged and capable. Keep the soft treats close by to reward your pet’s efforts and help them feel good.

What vaccinations do senior pets need?

All pets must be fully vaccinated by one year of age and receive annual or triennial boosters, depending on the vaccine manufacturer’s instructions and vet’s recommendation. When pets age into seniors, they will still need to receive their booster vaccines at the recommended intervals. However, the vet may recommend a change in their vaccination schedule based on your pet’s new habits, location, and risk of exposure to infectious diseases.

If you have any concerns about vaccinating your older pets, ask the vet for clarification.

How can I support my senior pet’s dental health?

By the time your pet reaches their senior years, their teeth would have undergone significant wear-and-tear. If you have not been brushing your pet’s teeth until now, it’s never too late to start. However, ask the vet to do a dental check-up and, if necessary, perform a dental cleaning. This requires the pet to be placed under anaesthesia so the vet can examine and clean properly below the gumline. If there is significant disease, your pet may need to have a tooth (or teeth) removed, but usually, the periodontal pockets may just need to be cleaned and medicated.

After your pet’s teeth and gums have recovered, you can use a soft-bristled pet toothbrush and pet toothpaste to gently clean their teeth at least three times a week. Dental treats, water additives and dental gels are also great supportive options for keeping your pet’s teeth clean and their breath smelling fresh.

Why is my senior cat drinking more water than usual?

A senior cat drinking an excessive amount of water may indicate an underlying problem with their kidneys. Kidney function declines in older cats, with one of the symptoms being that more fluid from the body is expelled by the kidneys, leading to dehydration. An increase in urination naturally leads to an increase in thirst. If you notice your senior cat urinating and drinking more than usual, take them for a check-up at the vet. Kidney disease/renal failure is irreversible, but if caught early, it can be managed well and your cat can live relatively normally with adequate support.

Excessive thirst and water consumption may also be indicative of liver disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, urinary tract infections, and as a side effect of certain medications. If you have any doubts or fears about your senior cat’s elimination and drinking habits, speak to the vet.

How will I know when my senior pet is suffering?

By the time your pet reaches their senior years, you will have developed a close bond with them. Reasonable pet care requires observation: observing your pet’s habits, idiosyncrasies, body language and quirks. Most of these will evolve as your pet ages, and it will become noticeable when your senior pet is ‘just not themselves’. The decision to humanely end their suffering can be made based on whether you believe them to be experiencing a poor quality of life. If you find yourself struggling to be objective regarding your pet’s physical health and wellbeing, ask the vet for their input.

There are some indicators of a poor quality of life:

social withdrawal – especially for a once sociable pet
refusal to eat or drink
visible signs of pain such as yelping or whining
panting, shaking and/or difficulty breathing
restlessness
avoiding physical contact OR
becoming overly clingy
no interest in toys
no interest in walks
regular vomiting
urinary/faecal incontinence

If you are concerned about your senior pet’s quality of life, ask the vet to recommend a course of action that prioritises your pet’s wellbeing. They will never judge you for making the difficult decision to end your loyal companion’s suffering, and will be right by your side.