Mature Pet Care

A mature pet is any cat or dog that is over 7 years of age. As your pet ages, it will require extra TLC from you to ensure they remain healthy and to pick up any health problems early.

Preventative Health

As your pet ages, its requirements for vaccinations, worming and flea treatment remain the same as for adult dogs and cats and you should ensure these are kept up to date for optimal health. Screening blood panel and urine tests can help pick up disease early – this is especially important prior to anaesthesia.

Nutrition

All mature pets should be fed a complete and balanced mature diet. These contain adjusted levels of certain ingredients to help maintain healthy kidneys, lower levels of fat and calories to suit your pet's reduced activity level, and increased fibre to assist gastrointestinal health. There are many prescription diets that help with chronic diseases such as skin disease, arthritis, kidney disease, weight management etc.

Arthritis

This is a very common problem with older dogs and cats. Dogs will show symptoms such as limping after exercise, pain when touching the affected body part, stiffness after waking particularly in winter and a decreased overall activity level.

Cats are a bit more subtle with their symptoms which are; decreased jumping onto furniture, difficulty grooming, increased irritability and reduced appetite. There are over the counter joint supplements such as Mobilise/Cat pep, which can help reduce symptoms. Keeping your pet at ideal body weight is important to prevent joint overloading. 

Anti-inflammatories may also be needed – these are only available after consultation.

Heart Disease

About 1 in 10 animals have heart disease and mature pets are more at risk of developing it, so is important to know the symptoms to look for. 

These include:

• Coughing, especially at night
• Reluctance to exercise, tiring easily (dogs)
• Poor appetite
• Laboured or fast breathing
• Collapse often associated with exercise in dogs
• Weight loss
• Enlarged abdomen, often a pot bellied appearance
• Weakness

If you notice any of the above symptoms with your pet please bring them in for a consultation. If they are found to have heart disease there are many medications available to improve their quality of life and increase life expectancy.
 
Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is most commonly seen in cats but dogs can be afflicted with renal disease also. Increased water intake is usually the only sign in the early stages and this often goes unnoticed, especially in cats.

Changes in blood parameters do not appear until two thirds of kidney function has been lost, meaning early diagnosis can be a challenge. Once diagnosed the disease can still be managed to ensure your pet’s quality of life is improved.

Symptoms include:

• Increased thirst
• Vomiting
• Poor appetite
• Poor coat condition
• Depression
• Weight loss

Cognitive Dysfunction

As your pet ages so does the brain which can cause distressing changes in their behaviour.

Symptoms include:

• Disorientation
• Irregular sleep patterns
• Reduced social interaction
• Loss of house training
• Inappropriate vocalization

Loss of mental function affects 1 in 3 mature cats and 1 in 5 mature dogs! There are foods and medication available to assist your pet’s cognitive function and protect nerve cells from further degeneration.