Why You Should Adopt A Senior Pet

Why You Should Adopt a Senior Pet

With their graying fur and quiet temperaments, senior dogs and cats often get overlooked in animal shelters. However, deciding to take a chance and adopt a senior pet is often one of the most rewarding choices prospective pet owners can make. Whether you’re looking for a new cat or dog to bring home, we suggest you consider a senior for the following reasons.
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Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Adopt a Senior Pet

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1. Trained and Socialized

Senior pets are usually already trained and socialized. This means they come home having already been housebroken and teethed. Your senior pet will be ready to fit right in with the rest of your family and friends.

2. Less Demanding

Puppies and kittens have loads of energy and require a lot of work, training, and attention. Although senior pets like to get plenty of attention, too, they won’t be quite as demanding as a brand-new baby pet.

3. Fewer Surprises

When you adopt a puppy or kitten, there’s always a chance they could develop an unexpected health problem. When you adopt a senior pet, however, you’ll already know most of the pet’s medical history and needs.

4. Still So Much Fun

Senior pets – especially dogs – still love to play games and learn tricks. They’re eager to interact with and please their human family members. So, you’ll have loads of time to teach your rescue pet new commands and playtime activities.

5. You Can Be a Hero

When you choose a senior pet, you’re picking a pet that might otherwise not get adopted and end up spending a lot of time living in an animal shelter. When you bring home a senior dog or cat, you’ll be a hero who provides an older animal with the loving home, companionship and care they deserve throughout their golden years.
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Learn All About Senior Pet Care With Our Woodland Park Veterinarian

At Compassion Animal Hospital, we tailor care to meet each of our patient’s individual needs. For senior pets, this means specialized nutrition and lifestyle recommendations, frequent health screenings, and wellness and preventative care designed to keep your cat or dog feeling happy, healthy, and energetic, well into his or her golden years.
To learn more about senior pet care or to schedule an appointment for your recently adopted senior pet, we welcome you to contact Compassion Animal Hospital in Woodland Park today.

How to Care for Senior Pets

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How to Care for Senior Pets

It’s no secret that pets age faster than their two-legged, less-furry best friends (humans). They become senior pets much sooner than we do, too. Although our pets might be getting older, there’s no reason they have to lose the energetic, playful spirit of the puppy or kitten that lives inside them. With the proper care, your senior pet’s golden years can truly sparkle!

5 Tips for Taking Care of Senior Pets

1. Wellness Appointments

It’s always best to detect, diagnose, and treat illnesses in cats and dogs as soon as they arise. We recommend more frequent checkups for senior pets. With appointments scheduled every six months, we monitor our patients closely for signs of age-related disease or other health concerns.

2. Adjust Surroundings

Senior pets commonly encounter age-related mobility issues. You can make it easier for them to get around by making some accommodations in your home. Purchase elevated food and water bowls, an orthopedic pet bed, and add stairs or a ramp onto the couch or bed.

3. Be a Vigilant Observer

Sometimes, it can be tricky to tell when your pet isn’t feeling well. After all, pets have no way to tell us when they aren’t feeling well or when they’re in pain, and most pets instinctively try to mask or hide signs of illness. Senior pet owners should be aware of the signs of pain and illness in pets. Any unexplained changes in your pet’s behavior, routine, appearance, attitude, or energy level could indicate an underlying problem.

4. Feed an Age-Appropriate Diet

Senior pets have different dietary needs. Consider switching your older pet to a food that’s formulated especially for them.

5. Consider Nutritional Supplements

Some pets with age-related health problems can benefit from a variety of nutritional supplements. Talk with our veterinarian about whether vitamins could benefit your pet.

Schedule a Senior Pet Care Appointment in Woodland Park

Knowing exactly when a pet becomes a senior varies based on breed, size, and species. Generally, dogs are considered to be seniors at around six or seven years of age and cats at around age 11. If you’re caring for an older pet, we encourage you to talk with Dr. Cooper at Compassion Animal Hospital about adjusting your pet’s wellness care routine. Typically, senior pets visit the veterinarian two times a year for health screenings, physical examinations, and vaccination updates. To learn more, contact our office today.