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Things to Consider When Taking Care of an Older Pet

Taking care of a cat, dog or other companion animal is a big source of joy for many people. Animal Friends notes that having a pet makes people happier and healthier and can even help lower blood pressure. However, pet owners need to make sure that they are willing and able to take care of their animals as they get into their older years. Taranet outlines some things to consider when taking care of an older pet.

Veterinary Care

People who have pets are used to taking their dogs and cats to the vet for checkups and routine vaccinations. However, it is important to keep in mind that as these animals get older, the need for veterinary care will likely increase.

Try to make sure that you have an emergency fund set aside in case unexpected expenses arise regarding the care of your pet. If you are not able to save enough money for a vet visit, look into local resources that might be able to assist.

Pet Insurance

When your pet starts to age, it becomes increasingly important to start considering pet insurance. With pet insurance, you can protect yourself from expensive and unexpected vet bills should your pet become ill or suffer from an accident.

Understanding the coverage that pet insurance offers is key to making sure you are getting the best plan for your budget and pet. Just like with human health plans, there are a variety of policies that may offer coverage for emergency hospitalization, routine care like checkups and vaccines, prescription medications, and even end-of-life expenses like cremation or burial fees.

Self-Care

It is just as important to look after yourself when caring for an older pet. Compassion fatigue is a term often used to describe the struggles people face when caring for people, and a similar phenomenon can happen when an animal friend you love requires extensive monitoring and protection. It can be easy to neglect your own care while devoting all your time to someone else, so make sure to do things to take care of yourself, such as:

• Taking a break from work if you are able to do so, in order to reduce the amount of stress in your and your pet’s life
• Hiring a pet sitter to watch your pet when you are not around so you can reduce the amount of worrying involved in leaving your pet alone 
• Continuing to eat healthy, exercise and get a proper amount of sleep 

When people do not take good care of themselves, they cannot give as much as they can to those who they care for.

Cleanliness

Older pets often have trouble grooming themselves the way that they once did. Because of this, you should give special consideration to keeping your pet clean in their older years. A high-quality dog shampoo with a pleasing scent is a good investment as it is less likely to irritate the skin, and there may even be moisturizing options for dogs who have dry skin. Unlike dogs, cats are notoriously afraid of water, but it is still important that you pay attention to their grooming habits and clean them when needed.

In addition to keeping the pet clean, make sure that the area around them is clean as well, including any litter boxes and crates.

Comfort

When caregivers take their pets to the vet to get them the best medical care, it is important that the animals are comfortable at home while they rest and recover. Buy comfortable bedding and blankets for your pet, and spoil them with treats, as long as their vet says that is safe to do so. Having a happy, relaxed pet is beneficial to both the owner and the animal.

Caring for an older pet can be difficult, so consider these tips to make things a bit easier and relieve stress for both you and your pet. You can also relieve financial stress by investing in pet insurance.

Taranet shares how a holistic approach can be useful for animals and helps your horse or dog care business be successful. Contact us today to learn more! info@taranet.co.uk

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"Penny Martin of fureverfriend.info"