When you have a pet who is aging and is now a senior pet, it might need geriatric pet care from a veterinarian as it gets older. Getting that important veterinary care can help your pet to be healthier and more comfortable as it becomes elderly. As pets get older, they can have a number of health problems that come up and get worse as time goes on. Contact Doggie Dude Ranch in Ames to get the quality veterinary care that your pet needs.

Pets and Arthritis

It's common for older pets to develop arthritis in one or more joints. This can be highly painful and cause your pet to struggle to be mobile. Arthritis causes both pain and stiffness so certain joints are more difficult to move. They may get it in their legs, hips, or spine, and it can cause a lot of problems. Less stability in the joints causes the problem to start. There is cartilage that sits between the bones at any given joint and this keeps the bones from touching each other.

Joint instability can cause the cartilage to get worn and this can cause it to deteriorate and no longer provide that buffer. With no cartilage there, the bones will rub directly against each other and result in painful joints. Try to notice whether your pet seems to have signs of arthritis such as a lot of pain or trouble standing up, walking, or playing. There are ways to treat the condition so that your pet feels better and can move more easily.

Low Energy

It's also common for pets to have less energy as they get older. This is a natural process that results in them doing less by playing and getting less exercise as they get older. Geriatric pet care should include trying to get your pet to exercise more so that they don't put on too much weight. More weight can also aggravate arthritis and cause even less energy and movement.

Try to engage them in physical activity whenever they are willing to. It's common for pets to become overweight or even obese without care being paid to their physical fitness. You may also want to start feeding them senior pet food to help control their weight. 

Visit Our Animal Hospital in Ames, IA

To get geriatric pet care for your elderly pet, call Doggie Dude Ranch to make an appointment with our veterinarian. Your pet may need to have their weight evaluated and their arthritis treated so that they have a better quality of life. Call our team today at (515) 382-1444 or reach us through our website by using our online contact form.