Providing the best care for senior pets

Whether your companion has a snout, a muzzle, or a beak, they will require some special care with age, just as we all do. This is because certain systems start to deteriorate and don’t function as well as they once did, chief among them the immune system. And although your faithful familiar will develop age-related health conditions, with the right care, the sunset years can be spent actively enjoying many sunrises with you for years to come.

We demystify the concept of ageing by explaining why it’s so important to pay particular attention to your pet’s diet, and why you might need to consider supplementing with care as your pet ages. Thank you Anima-Strath!

When will my pet become a senior?

There are no hard and fast rules. That’s because animals age differently from how us humans do. It will also depend on the type of pet that you have.

Dogs

With one dog for every three households across the world, it is true that dogs might very well be man’s best friend. But it’s not true that dogs age at a rate of seven years for every one human year. It has more to do with the weight and size of your dog.

• Small or toy breeds that are 10 kgs or less are generally considered senior at around 12 years old.
• Medium-sized breeds from 10 to 25 kgs are considered senior from around 10 years old.
• Large breeds from 25 to 40 kgs are considered senior from eight years old.
• Giant breeds of 40 kgs or more such as Great Danes are considered senior at the age of around five years old.

Cats

With one cat for every four households in the world, cats are the second most popular household pet according to the statistics. Although there are around 73 official cat breeds, many domestic cats are mixed breeds. Lifespans vary from between 12 to 18 years of age. We consider them senior from 10 years old.

Other pets

• Hamsters – There are 24 official species of hamsters. The Syrian hamster is one of the most popular pets. They live on average to 2.5 years of age and are considered senior at 1.5 years old.
• Parakeets – Also known as budgerigars or budgies, they love to live in flocks, so make sure that you get two. They can live up to around 12 years old and are considered senior from around five years of age.
• Rabbits – As pets, rabbits generally live between five to eight years old depending on the breed but have been known to live happily for up to 12 years of age. Smaller bunnies are considered seniors from around seven years old, and larger rabbits from about four to five years of age.

How can I improve my pet’s health?

Health is a broad and diverse topic. You will need to start knowing what you don’t know about your beloved. Pay attention to their behaviours and especially their eating habits. Senior pets become more vulnerable to ageing-related disorders and are more prone to secondary infections as their immune systems start to weaken.

This is why we recommend that you:

• Visit the vet regularly. Prevention is always better than cure. Senior pets including dogs, cats and rabbits should visit the vet twice a year for an overall check-up.
• Stay up to date with their vaccination schedules. Senior pets may have different vaccination requirements which need to be proactively discussed with your vet.
• Neuter and spay your pets. Pets that have not been neutered or spayed are more likely to develop secondary diseases such as cancers, and may also have incontinence issues later. Did you know that you can even neuter and spay guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, and rats?
• Grooming and hygiene. Pay attention to keeping your animal clean. Not only is this important bonding time, but it will also keep them free from parasites which cause many secondary infections. Don’t forget the teeth or beak.
• Keep them physically and mentally active. We need to add in the word appropriately. Easy does it. Make sure that it is easy for them to get around.
• Make your pet feel safe and comfortable. Your pet becomes increasingly sensitive to the environment. Make it a good and happy place to be with comfortable places to rest.
• Diet and nutrition. The correct age-appropriate diet along with plenty of fresh water becomes increasingly important as new requirements will need to be met with age. This can be discussed with your vet. Consider introducing a nutritional supplement such as Anima-Strath which helps all animals absorb up to ten times more micronutrients from their food.

Why are diet and nutrition so important for senior pets?

Good health means better well-being, and that starts with optimum nutrition. Your pet relies on you to do just that. As your pet ages, the nutritional requirements will change.

Nutrition is a process of providing and obtaining the necessary nutrients from food for health and growth to happen in the body. It’s about nourishment to ensure that your companion flourishes and thrives. The extraction and absorption of these nutrients starts in the gut. And that’s not all that starts in the gut. Up to 80% of your pet’s immunity is also in the gut.

But with age, the health of the gut deteriorates. This means several things:

• The number of protective antibodies in the immune system starts to drop and they become more susceptible to diseases.
• Your pet can’t digest their food as well as they once did which means that they aren’t extracting the same amount of nutrients from their diets anymore.
• They starts to lose lean muscle mass with age as protein stores get used up more quickly.
• As a result, their metabolism starts to slow down meaning that they burn fewer calories and become less energetic and more lethargic.
• Internal organs start to weaken and once pristine coats of feathers, furs or scales which kept the skin protected becomes more compromised and your pet becomes more prone to secondary infections and the parasites that cause them.
• Your senior pet will take longer to recover from illnesses and may be more prone to inflammation and stress.

What supplement does my senior pet need?

Your senior and geriatric pet needs Anima-Strath.

It is a 100% natural Swiss made nutritional supplement which will support your pet’s body through every life stage. Anima-Strath contains a unique Strath Plasmolysate and is made with a selection of 50 active plant extracts. These balance, nourish and support every organ and system in your senior pet’s body, specifically the immune system.

We recommend Anima-Strath because:

• It is 100% natural and contains no additives, preservatives, or stimulants.
• It is proven to help your senior pet absorb up to ten times more nutrients from their food.
• It is an immune system modulator that strengthens the immune system naturally before, during and after illness, infection, inflammation, stress, or injury.
• It works to create and maintain balance in your senior pet’s body to help the immune system react rapidly and appropriately.
• It may slow down the ageing process by supporting the body from deteriorating.
• It encourages growth and development.
• It is available as an elixir or as granules and is suitable for all species.

References

1. Caring for older pets (no date) The Humane Society of the United States. Available at: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/caring-older-pets.
2. Calma, D. (2022) How to care for an elderly pet with love and compassion, according to an animal behaviorist, Well+Good. Available at: https://www.wellandgood.com/how-to-care-for-aging-pet.
3. Tips for caring for senior dogs (no date) PetMD. Available at: https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_dg_caring_for_older_dogs_with_health_problems.
4. Author links open overlay panelP. Celi a e et al. (2017) Gastrointestinal functionality in animal nutrition and Health: New Opportunities for Sustainable Animal Production, Animal Feed Science and Technology. Elsevier. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377840117306624.
5. Why do animals age? (no date) National Wildlife Federation. Available at: https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2007/Why-Do-Animals-Age.
6. Why do animals have such different lifespans? – Joao Pedro de magalhaes (no date) TED. TED-Ed. Available at: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-animals-have-such-different-lifespans-joao-pedro-de-magalhaes#review.
7. Most popular pets by country 2023. Available at: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-popular-pets-by-country.
8. Croft, A. (2022) Parakeet lifespan: How long do parakeets live?, AZ Animals. Available at: https://a-z-animals.com/blog/how-long-do-parakeets-live.
9. Keeping hamsters as pets (no date) RSPCA. Available at: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/hamsters.
10. Cat Federation of South Africa (no date) cfsa. Available at: https://www.cfsa.co.za/home.