AS YOUR PET AGES

Ageing has its good and bad points for your pets as well as for humans! On the one hand your pet may well become better trained as it grows older, and more content as it gradually gains complete control of the family! On the other hand there are many illnesses associated with ageing, and it pays to be aware of these.

Cats and dogs have different life expectancies. And life expectancy sometimes varies greatly between different breeds. Older animals lose sensitivity of their major senses, hearing, taste and smell, and vision. It often happens that a pet owner is quite unaware that an old pet is nearly blind or deaf.

Many pets suffer unnecessarily because of dental problems associated with age. At Mid Mountains Animal Health Centre we are able to carry out all dental work and often the improvement in a pet's wellbeing is remarkable.

The function of all major organs can be affected. Symptoms may include:

•  Tooth loss
•  Dental calculus accumulation
•  Enamel wear
•  Periodontitis
•  Impaired nutrient absorption
•  Reduced salivary secretion
•  Reduced renal size
•  Cataracts
•  Hair becomes sparse, dull and lustreless
•  White hairs
•  Reduced hormone production
•  Loss of muscle mass
•  Reduced oxygen transport
•  Bones change in density and become brittle
•  Degenerative joint disease

Age changes normal physiological activities. The animal's response to infections and stress is changed. Impaired metabolic processes are also age-related. Your pet will need different dose rates for many medications as it ages.

Something many owners neglect: correct nutrition. As your pet ages, its health can be dramatically improved if you provide it with the scientifically correct diet. Ask your vet for more information.