The Animal Emergency Care veterinary hospital in Bellingham, WA has created an informative guide to help pet owners understand the different categories of pain their animals can experience. You can read the full article on their blog, here’s a quick overview. Acute Pain: A noticeable response to...
This month is a good time to show appreciation for senior pets and those who adopt and care for them. Sharing your life with a senior pet can be rewarding, but there are some challenges. Here’s some excellent advice from the veterinary experts at the Indiana...
Different from periodontal disease, tooth resorption is another type of dental problem that can be common in cats, especially as they age. Tooth resorption occurs when the dentin (the part of the tooth beneath the enamel) in one or more teeth begins to erode. This can...
It’s a fact of life that as animals (and humans) age, they can become frail. “Frailty syndrome” is the term that describes the loss of weight and muscle mass, combined with slower and less agile walking, that accompanies aging. A Florida veterinarian has been working with...
A 2-year-old Canadian cat named Loli escaped her home and went missing in 2010. Her owner was never able to locate her and assumed she was lost forever. Fast-forward 12 years, when Christine De Castro got a call from Vaughan, Ontario Animal Services saying her cat...
Many senior cats end up in animal shelters when their senior owners pass away or are unable to care for them any longer. Often, these senior cats are calm and affectionate companions, but they can get overlooked at shelters because many adopters are interested in...
Our dogs, cats, and other pets can get cancer just like humans. And, like humans, there can be different causes of cancer in animals. The Merck Veterinary Manual has outlined the most common causes of cancer in pets, and what you can do to help lower...
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has released updated 2021 Feline Senior Care Guidelines for veterinary health professionals, as well as updated resources for cat owners. While the full guidelines are designed to help veterinary practitioners care for senior cats, the AAFP has also created...
Like dementia in humans, older dogs can develop a neurodegenerative condition known as canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS). According to Dr. Brian Gray Barnett, a veterinarian with the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and the Dog Aging Project research team, “One study...
The 5 A’s Animal Shelter in Godfrey, Illinois was home to a 14 year old Pitbull mix named Wiggles for 11 years. Her long stay at the shelter came to an end recently, when a couple from Missouri read a story about Wiggles and decided...
This year’s Global Pet Expo, a convention hosted by the American Pet Products Association and the Pet Industry Distributors Association, highlighted some new product trends that are driving the pet food market this year. A Switch from Grain-Free to Grain-Friendly Diets The grain-free pet food trend, which...
The BBC recently produced a heartwarming video about retirement facilities for senior pets in Japan. When elderly pet owners enter assisted living and are no longer able to keep their pets, a growing number of animal retirement homes are taking in senior pets, many with special...
Cats are considered to be “seniors” when they reach 11+ years of age. Senior cats can develop a variety of chronic health problems, including: Arthritis Kidney disease Diabetes Cancer Dementia High blood pressure Thyroid disease Other common health issues seen in older cats include weight loss,...
In honor of Senior Pet Adoption Month, here’s a true senior pet adoption success story! Tito is a 15 year-old Chihuahua with multiple health issues who was taken in as a foster. Tito and his "brother" Frank soon became inseparable. Tito had a collapsed trachea and cannot...
The American Association of Feline Practitioners has outlined the 6 distinct cat life stages, and what cat owners can do to provide the best care for their cats at each stage of life, from kittenhood to geriatrics. Here’s a quick overview, and be sure to visit...
November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, a great time for animal welfare organizations to raise awareness about adopting homeless dogs and cats that are 7 years of age and older. As part of this awareness campaign, Animal Planet has created a series of heartwarming videos...
Many pet health experts consider cats to be “senior” after the age of 7. If your cat has reached the age of 20, then he or she is definitely in the senior range. But what about a 32-year old cat? That’s roughly the equivalent of...
Senior dog advocacy group The Grey Muzzle Organization has released the results of a survey on the adoption of senior shelter and rescue dogs. There’s been a growing interest in the adoption of senior dogs over the last few years, and the numbers prove it....
It’s always a good time to adopt your new best friend, but why not consider adopting a senior dog or cat during the month of November in celebration of Adopt a Senior Pet Month? Open your heart to a senior pet from your local shelter...