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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 fuits, vegetables and other natural
sources. The patented grapeseed 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 grapeseed 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
Wellness Food 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. 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
Life's Abundance Weight Loss Formula for Dogs 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
Life's Abundance,
you can help your pet age gracefully. |
