Coping with Aging Pets
By Teena Stewart
Most pets live comparatively short lives compared to their human counterparts. For instance, dogs age approximately seven years faster than humans. But that also depends on the size and breed of the dog. My sister’s dog Trip, a Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie Mix) passed away a year ago. He was 18 years old.
In comparison, Great Danes live an average of 8-10 years. The average lifespan of a cat is 13-20 years. For horses it’s typically between 25-30 years. Cockatoos have even horses beat with lives that span between 40-60 years.
We have our pets for such a short time that when notice them aging we start mourning before we lose them, watching their youth and vitality slip away. Just as we need to make adjustments for our own aging, as pet owners, we also need to make considerations and life alterations for the pets we look after.
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Aggie, our rescued hound-mix (pictured above) is now 10 years old and over the past year we’ve seen her age dramatically. Her face is now white. Her coat has grown coarse and faded from its original red/gold color. She still walks with us and Scout, our Black and Tan Coonhound in the mornings. Like clockwork we are usually walking them around 7:15 every morning. It’s good for us and good for them. The routine is something they look forward to and woe to us if it’s raining and we can’t walk. The rest of Aggie’s day is usually spent either sleeping in her favorite easy chair in the living room or lying outside in a sunny spot in the front yard or driveway.
Now that Aggie's older we have noticed some odd behaviors such as confusion at bedtime. The nightly ritual is for them to climb on the bed with me just before bedtime. They snooze while I read. When it’s time for bed, they each get a treat to entice them off the bed to head downstairs to their kennels. Recenty, Aggie’s been acting weird. Instead of going to her kennel, she takes a long, circuitous route around the dining room table. On several nights, she’s gotten into Scout’s bed instead of her own on the opposite wall. After this happened on multiple occasions, we thought she might be getting senile. With older adults, confusion and decreased lucidity happens more frequently in the evening and at nighttime. There’s actually a name for it, Sundowners.
Could this be what is happening with Aggie? We puzzled over this and also the possibility that she might not be able to get into her bed due to less mobility. Her bed is hemmmed in with soft bumpers. But after several experiments where we threw a treat into the bed, she seemed able to enter without much difficulty. Was she just avoiding going to bed because she wanted to stay upstairs with me? Could be.
This past week she's been okay with going in her own bed. If only we could crawl inside her brain to figure it out. Truthfully, it’s stressful for all of us. Here is some advice I would give those who are dealing with older pets.
1) Anticipate-Realize that because your pet is older their cognitive abilities may be diminishing. If they act out-of-character, they may be confused. Eyesite and hearing may start to fade. Take measures to put them at ease. Test their hearing by calling them to see if they are still able to hear you. Use hand gestures to help them understand if you feel they aren’t hearing as well as they once were.
2) Adjust-Expect reduced mobility. It’s a different season of life for them. Aggie used to easily jump onto our bed. These days she seems to prefer lying on the bedroom rug. She will periodically get on the bed, however, there is more hesitation when jumping off. Don’t force a pet to do what they once did. This may mean cutting back on the lengths of your walks, allowing more nap time, adding stair steps so they can get into their favorite chair on onto the bed.
3) Aid-Consider devices and products that might aid your older pet. It could be a plusher bed, more cushiony rugs, more easily chewed foods, smaller bite-sized pieces, etc.
4) Explore-Pay attention to your pet’s physical condition. My vet informed me that aging pets shed more. No wonder we have fluff balls all over the house. Be aware of bad breath. It could mean decaying teeth or gum disease. You pet may develop tumors. Periodically run your hands over their body to feel for any sores or bumps. Report any anomalies to your vet immediately and have them looked at.
5) Supplement-You may find that where a certain pet food worked well for your pet in their earlier years, you may need to switch to something which provides additional nutrients for older pets. You might also want to add supplements to boost your pet’s immune system, joint health, and health balance.
6) Practice Patience-As pets age, their behavior can change which requires more patience on our part. Allow them more time to get from one place to another. They may need to go relieve themselves more frequently. Help them feel safe. My once secure dog now likes to keep close tabs on me. Whever I am she typically likes to be. I am her security blanket. Pets may have accidents. Don’t punish them or yell at them if they do. They probably couldn’t help it.
Just as we want people to have compassion and understanding regarding us, we need to remind ourselves that our aging pets deserve the same treatment. It’s up to us to help our pets live their best lives.
Teena Stewart is an artist, designer, and writer. You can find her work at https://serendipitypet.net/ or https://teenastewart.art/
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