As a pet owner, you will often need to manage unwell or elderly pets. This can be challenging but also rewarding.

Our advice is, in general – DO THE SIMPLE THINGS WELL.

Feeding

Older or unwell animals will often like moist food better than hard or dry food.
Warming food up can increase their appetite.
Present small portions of food regularly with gaps where no food is available. (It is so much easier to see if your pet has eaten any small portion and it is very satisfying to add extra food when they are hungry.)
If your pet doesn’t eat the food, leave it down for 15-30 minutes then remove the food. Leave a gap with no food before offering a different food.
Elderly and unwell pets will often start to lose weight. Feeding small meals more often can be very helpful to maintain body weight.

Toileting

Your pet will often start producing more urine and as they are tired or unwell might start to urinate in the house.
Try to take them out more often. Set a timer of every 2-3 hours and take them to the toilet even if they can get there themselves. If your pet goes to the toilet then spend some time interacting nicely outside for 3-5 minutes. This will reinforce that the ticket to a lovely interaction is going to the toilet.
If the urinating changes and becomes smelly or more frequent this may be evidence of a problem. Elderly or unwell animals are at high risk of urinary tract infections. Try to collect a sample in a clean container and drop it off at the vet for analysis.
Hair around the back end can become soaked with urine or faeces. Consider clipping this area, applying barrier creams or even bandaging the tail to keep it clean and dry.
Some pets will become constipated because of mobility or other issues. Keeping a poo diary (even with pictures) can be useful as a monitoring tool, (and to impress your vet).

Some conditions such as heart disease and respiratory disease can cause breathing problems. Animals with breathing issues can deteriorate and suffer greatly.
Most pets are breathing well if they can sleep soundly on their sides or curled up. If your pet is unsettled and cant settle unless sitting or lying up they may have significant breathing problems.
Healthy pets show little effort with their breathing and you will often have to look carefully to see them breathing, especially at rest. If your pet is making significant effort with breathing you should seek veterinary advice.
Pets with healthy heart and lung function have lovely pink tongues. Changes in tongue colour, especially to grey or blue will often indicate heart or lung compromise.
If your pet is showing signs of difficult breathing keep them very settled and calm. Sometimes sitting them up and stretching out the neck can help with breathing. Urgent veterinary care may be required.

Matted, dirty fur can cause underlying skin conditions. Crusted discharge around the eyes will also cause infections. Overly long nails can result in painful feet and even ingrown nails.
Try to keep fur short and skin clean especially around the face, eyes and bottom. It will be so much easier to clean and will avoid skin infections.
Unwell or elderly animals will often need nail clips every 6-8 weeks as they don’t wear the nails down.
Weekly washing for dogs in antibacterial shampoo such a pyohex plus washing of bedding and collars, will keep bacteria and yeast levels down and decrease the pet smell.
When grooming becomes more difficult a short clip all over can be much easier to manage. This can be done under sedation at the vet.

Good dental care is helpful for pets of all ages and stages. Unwell and elderly pet’s teeth will often deteriorate and accentuate their ill health.
Your veterinarian can advise if dental care under general anaesthetic may be helpful.

Your vet can guide you through caring for your elderly or unwell animal.
In a veterinary consultation the examination will reveal what problems your pet may be suffering and advise the best management.
Extra tests such as blood tests and diagnostic imaging can diagnose problems so they can be managed.
Your vet can prescribe medications and then adjust the type and dose in follow up consultations.
Regular checks including weight, heart sound and abdominal palpation with serial blood tests can help advise you as to the progress of your pet.
Vets will often talk of your pet’s happiness index. Are they enjoying life and interacting? How are you coping with caring for your pet?

Elderly animals and those with chronic conditions such as kidney disease and heart disease can slowly deteriorate. Your vet can guide you as to if they may be suffering and euthanasia could be considered.
Most owners hope that as their pet deteriorates, that one day they will just pass away in their sleep. This doesn’t happen often and the animals are commonly neglected as they deteriorate.
If your pet is deteriorating, losing weight, stopping eating, vomiting daily, having difficulty breathing or losing interest in life it may be time to consider euthanasia.