5 Free Ways To Monitor Your Senior Pet

Published April 5th, 2009

No matter what type of relationship we have with our pets, they are with us through various phases in our life. They’re also there when we leave in the morning, and greet us when we come home. As the years pass, they age much more quickly than we do, and I feel like their only crime is that they never live long enough. As a veterinarian, over the years I’ve acted as a steward, guiding many animals into this world, and seeing them off on their final journey as they leave this life. Senior animals always have a special place in my heart. I think that even though the fur goes grey, the spirit stays strong, and that animal, cat or dog, or whatever other critter you share your life with deserves the kind of attention, care, and vigilance that we all deserve as we age. I lost a very special family member named Shadow almost a year ago now, and my two dogs Naula and Moab are now into senior territory as well. I know that eventually I won’t be able to cheat the inevitable, but it’s how they get to live their life that counts in my mind.

I feel that after many years of faithful companionship, unconditional love, and loyalty, our pets deserve to grow old with dignity. I know that for many of us, times are tough, and we need to do right by our pets, whatever that means for each person. While there isn’t a substitute for the care, knowledge, and expertise of a licensed veterinarian, I wanted to share with you 5 very important and completely free things that you can do for your senior pet at home, that may just save, prolong, or improve the quality of their life.

Unfortunately, sometimes, because our pets can’t talk, we don’t know that something is wrong until they go into crisis because their body just can’t compensate any longer for an illness that’s been brewing for a long time. If you see any of warning signs with your pet, it’s time to call your veterinarian right away, and try to get to the bottom of what’s going on. Like I said, these tips aren’t a substitute for veterinary care, but they can be very important signs that your pet is ill, and being aware of them and taking action before it’s too late could increase the amount of time you have with your loved one, help save you money from having to face emergency care, or maybe even save their life.

5 things to look out for in your senior pet:

1. Weight loss (or in some instances weight gain)

Now most of us don’t weight our pets on a regular basis, but some things to look for are being able to feel the spine, ribs, and hips more prominently than you used to, or if their silhouette or profile looks different than it used to. If you aren’t sure, most clinics would be more than happy to have you stop in just to weigh your pet, the staff can always take a quick look and see if the weight has changed significantly since the last visit. If you notice any of these things and your pet has not had a significant change in their activity level or food intake, it may be time to have your pet examined again and talk to your veterinarian.

2. Change in water intake or urination habits

Excessive drinking and/or an increase in frequency and volume of urination can mean trouble for your pet. As far as water intake, what you want to pay attention to is how often you are refilling that water bowl. Even if you aren’t home much and don’t always see your pet drinking, if you’re having to fill up an empty water bowl more often than previously, it may be a sign that something has changed. Some cats, and even dogs, if they drain their bowl will then actively go after other sources of water obsessively like what’s left in the shower or tap, or even the toilet bowl.

On the other end, if your cat is voiding in the litter box much more than before, or even going outside of the box because it fills so quickly, it could be a warning sign. With dogs, it could be that they are asking to go outside more often, voiding larger amounts of urine than before, or even not being able to hold it and having accidents inside the house. If a well trained pet is voiding somewhere other than they have for years, it’s important to give them the dignity and respect to try to get to the bottom of it, especially for older dogs, it can be stressful and scary to have you come home to find an accident that they really couldn’t help doing.

3. Vomiting or diarrhea

This may seems obvious, but either sudden or ongoing vomiting or diarrhea could potential be a warning that something is very wrong either in the digestive tract itself, or elsewhere in the body. As our pets age, the number of reasons why we see these signs may increase. Even if you have a cat that’s been an occasional hairball vomiter, if you notice a change from the norm, it’s a good idea to get it checked out.

4. Any lumps or bumps

Although our pets spend a lot of time in our presence when we’re home, we may not always make the time to pet them, and find any lumps or tumours while they are still small. Aside from how important I think it is for our bond with our furry family members, putting our hands on them to pet them while feeling for anything unusual is very important. I start from the nose and go all the way to the tail, having a good feel while massaging everything in between, even the legs, neck and feet. If you do find anything unusual, measure it with a little ruler, and write down where on the body it is. Mark this down on your calendar so that when you talk to your veterinarian about it you’ll have a frame of reference. If you don’t measure the lump, it’s easy for your mind to play tricks on you when you’re at the animal hospital and they’re asking you whether it’s changed or grown since you found it As a sidenote, it’s often less expensive and easier on our pets to remove an abnormal lump when it is smaller, rather then waiting until it’s bigger and more difficult to remove.

5. How they move around

Unlike us, animals often don’t vocally complain unless they are in a lot of pain or distress. The signs of discomfort can often be subtle, and unfortunately our pets can’t talk…at least most of them can’t :) Some things to look out for are any difficulty or stiffness when they get up after sleeping or lying down for a while, and trouble going up and down the stairs. Running or jumping differently when they’re playing, or even reluctance to do some of the things they used to in their daily routine like walking or playing. Some pets may hesitate or seem tentative when they need to make a big jump on or off the sofa or bed. There are sometimes obvious signs like limping or incoordination that could indicate a problem, but often, unless there’s a sudden episode or injury, the first few things I mentioned in this section might be a warning that it’s time to get your furry friend into the clinic for an exam and a discussion about what you can do to keep them happy, comfortable, and enjoying their golden years!

Like I said, these tips aren’t substitutes for proper veterinary care, but they sure are ways to proactively be involved in our pets health and well being. This article is not medical advice, if you notice these things, you should consult your pet’s veterinarian. In the very least, this level of vigilance will help to strengthen your bond with them, and at the most, it may help to prolong, save, or improve their quality of life.

Rock on senior pets!

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