Page 24 - Creature Companion, September 2020
P. 24

PET CARE


         HOW TO KEEP YOUR                                                    WHEN DOES A DOG BECOMES
                                                                             ‘SENIOR’?
         ‘SENIOR DOG’ HAPPY                                                  Just like us, dogs get older gradually
                                                                             - there’s no exact age that they
         AND HEALTHY?                                                        become ‘senior’, but they can usually
                                                                             be considered to be of an older age
                                                                             between 5-9 years old. The age that
                                                                             your pet is considered to be ‘older’
         By Priyanka Kaushal*
                                                                             depends on what dog you have, as
                                                                             typically smaller dogs have a much
              et care changes as our beloved   your formerly vigorous walks with   longer lifespan than giant breeds.
              furry family members age.    him may turn into leisurely strolls.   The American Veterinary Medical
         PSometimes we don’t want          But the truth of the matter is that the   Association considers a medium-
         to admit that our dog is aging. If   best thing you can do for your dogs is   sized dog to be elderly at the age of
         your dog is going a little grey in   to look aging right in the face. Caring   seven years old. Ten years for a dog
         the muzzle, he may be entering the   for an elderly pet takes a little more   is roughly equivalent to 58 human
         senior stage of his life. Yes the word   attention than you might think.   years; for a large dog, however, that
         is ‘senior’! When your vet utters this   You need to become highly tuned   equates to 66-78 years.
         word, you may not like it as now   to the subtle changes in your dog’s
         your once spry playmate may stop   behaviour and receptive to ways to   TIPS TO TAKE CARE OF ‘SENIOR
         jumping after his tennis ball, and   improve his life.              DOGS’
                                                                             Just like humans, of course, many
                                                                             factors influence the health and

                                                                             longevity of our pets. Diet, lifestyle,
                                                                             and genetics all infl uence  your
                                                                             pet's health as they age. If you need
                                                                             to take care of a dog that is older,
                                                                             making subtle changes to your dog’s
                                                                             routine, veterinary care, and home
                                                                             environment. While you would

                                                                             definitely need an expert advice in
                                                                             case of serious health care concerns,
                                                                             however, following are a few pet
                                                                             care tips to help you give your furry
                                                                             friends the golden years they deserve
                                                                             and you can both thoroughly enjoy
                                                                             their remaining years:






















     24  Creature Companion | SEPTEMBER 2020 • VOL. XIII • ISSUE 7 • NOIDA
   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29