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HGADVICE
208 | AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN
AGE-OLD
QUESTION
Pets
Likepeople, dogs and cats in
their dotage need a little extra
TLC, writesRoger Crosthwaite.E
arlier this year, a kelpie named
Maggie passed away on a dairy
farm in Woolsthorpe, Victoria,
where she’d lived since she was an
eight-week-old pup. Maggie was almost
30 years old when she died, a staggering
age for a dog, and she had lived life to
the full. But it’s rare that our pets live
anywhere near as long as Maggie. The
sad truth is that we usually outlive our
pets. And in their old age, they need a
little extra love and care to keep them
healthy and comfortable. As do we all.
But what qualifies as ‘senior’ in the
dog world? Large breeds of dog, such
as great danes, are considered seniors as
young as six, while eight to 10 is the
range for medium-size breeds (labradors
and German shepherds). For small
breeds such as chihuahuas, it’s 10 to 11.
Senior pets should have a general
veterinary check-up annually. Ageing
dogs may suffer from liver, kidney or
heart problems and arthritis, which can
be helped by dietary supplements. Ask
your vet for recommendations.
Switching to a seniors’ dog food can
prevent a less-active dog from stacking
on the kilos. Exercise is necessary to
maintain good health however,so keep
up the daily walks, even if you cut the
distance back to once around the block.
Arthritic or not, older dogs become
less agile, so make sure your dog’s bed is
easily accessible and well padded. They
may also become less sure on their feet
on polished surfaces such asfloorboards or lino, so place non-slip
mats in areas where they’re likely to be
walking to helppreventthem sliding.
Older dogs are more likely to suffer from
dental problems. Cleaning your dog’s
teeth will help a lot, as diseased teeth and
gums can lead to other health problems.
Cats can be considered elderly after
about 12 years of age. Like dogs, their
dietary needs change and they become
less active with age. One consequence
of this is that their claws don’t wear
down naturally, so you may need to
trim them regularly. Your ageing,
less-agile feline may also need help with
grooming, especially around the tricky
areas such as the eyes, ears and bottom.
Accessibility to litter trays and beds
needs to be checked, cat flaps may have
to be loosened or lowered, and little
things like a carpeted plank as a ramp to
a favourite sunny spot can make life
much easier for the senior cat.#
For helpful information on healthcare,
nutritionalneeds and grooming tips for
senior dogs, visit the Advantage Petcare
website; http://www.advantagefamily.com.au.AGE BEFORE BEAUTY
Adopting an older pet has many
advantages. They have usually already
been socialised, may be house-trained and
arelessdestructivethanayoungster.Some
animal shelters waive or discount adoption
fees for older pets, andRSPCA Victoria
offersconsiderable discounts for ongoing
senior pet veterinary care.
Photograph from Alamy.