Managing Care for Senior Pets

Senior Pets Are Beautiful Souls

We take care of a lot of senior pets. Some of our clients, seniors themselves, have difficulty with pet transportation and sometimes a senior pet is not able to get into a vehicle.

I started thinking about how we can prepare ourselves for our pets' senior years when trips to the vet are more frequent and illnesses are often more difficult to treat.

Here are our Top 5 recommendations for managing care as your pet ages.

1. Make sure your pet is comfortable getting in and out of vehicles. Many pets are very stressed by this experience and that will only make transportation more difficult during an emergency. If your pet is fearful consider working with a trainer who can help you through desensitizing him and create a calming experience. If you have a cat it is wise, at any age, to make your cat comfortable in a carrier.
2. Pet insurance, while more expensive as pets age, can be very helpful with the medical bills for common procedures most senior pets will require. Ask your vet which insurance they recommend for best coverage.
3. GoodRX is a free app that can save a lot of money on prescriptions. Senior pets often need pain management and anti-inflammatory drugs on a daily basis.
4. Know where the emergency clinics are that can help you late at night. That link has information on 24 hour clinics, local on call availability changes and you should call your vet to know their availability after office hours. Save all clinic phone numbers and addresses in your cell phone contacts. During an emergency it will be a relief for help to be just a few clicks away - rather than at the end of a frantic Google search.
5. Think about End of Life choices before you are faced with this most heart-wrenching decision. What treatment options will you pursue? What is the expected outcome and survival rate if treatment is recommended? What is the quality of life during and after treatment? If you make choices while your pet is healthy it will be clearer in your mind when your pet is ailing as to what you've already decided you are willing to do as he nears the end of life. Deciding today whether you would choose chemo if your dog, as a senior, develops cancer and knowing your reasons for that decision can make it a less emotional choice when the time comes.

If you are lucky enough to have a pet who has lived into their senior years you know the lifetime of joy and unconditional love they have given. It's such a special time with your pet. Prepare for their needs and enjoy their golden years!