Make Your Home Accessible for Senior Pets [Checklist]

August 20, 2019

Is your dog age 8 or older? Is your cat age 5 or older? If so, you may have noticed how they are not as active as they once were. You can trust them when you leave. They are fine with relaxing and laying by your side. You may leave your things on the floor and they don’t get torn up! Ah yes, you are firmly in the adult to senior dog and cat stage.

The average life span of our adorable canines is 10 – 15 years old, depending on the breed. The average age of our friendly felines is 13 – 17 years old. It stands to justify if your dog is age 8 or older, or your cat is 5 or older, they may be in the golden years of their life. Here are a few tips, complete with your own downloadable checklist, on how to make your home easier for your dog to get along in as they age.

Download Your Home Accessibility Checklist

Read on, or download this handy checklist, to make your home accessible for your senior dog. 

Download My Free Checklist

Elevated Cat Food Bowls

Feeding

Feeding needs change as our dogs and cats age. If you haven’t already, be sure you are giving age-appropriate food for your senior dog or cat. Also keep this in mind:

  1. Elevate dishes when feeding

Older dogs can have discomfort in their joints and neck from bending down to eat and drink.  Make sure your pet’s bowls are elevated during feeding times so he or she can eat all that they need.

  1. Include joint supplements in diet

As dogs and cats age, it is important to make sure they are receiving essential nutrients in their diet to help maintain their joint health.  Some proven ingredients to look for include Green Lipped Mussel (GLM), glucosamine and chondroitin.

dog using ramp at home

Bedding:

Does your senior dog or cat sleep with you or in their own beds? Can they easily get in and out of their beds? Watching your dog as they get in their beds is a good way to assess what needs to change. Ramps up stairs and high places are a great way to help your dog get around easier. Be sure to:

  1. Provide a suitable sized dog bed with a fluffy consistency

Hard floors are tough on joints, especially those of older dogs.  Make sure your dog has a good size bed that they can lay in comfortably with enough stuffing to protect their joints from hard floors.

  1. Place dog bed in a warm location

Cold temperatures cause joints to become stiff, especially first thing in the morning.  Make sure your dog’s bed is in a warm location away from drafts to make getting up and around easier.

dog  exercise

Exercise:

You may consider cutting back on exercise as they age. However, this could be against their best interest. Your dogs still need exercise, no matter their age!

  1. Daily Exercise

To keep aging joints limber, dogs need two exercise sessions per day, the length and intensity determined by your dog’s current abilities. For indoor cats, use toys in the home to keep them chasing and continuing to be frisky. 

  1. Use Pet Steps or Ramp

Older dogs often suffer from stiffness and stairs can be painful for them.  Make sure there are alternate options available for your dog to ensure he or she can get around as needed.

Glyde Mobility Chews

Parnell Living Science are the experts on osteoarthritis (OA) or arthritis in dogs. Amazingly, arthritis is one of the most untreated diseases plaguing all breeds and ages of dogs. A first line of defense is to add a supplement like Glyde Mobility Chews to your dog’s diet. Our unique formula uses natural, gluten-free ingredients which promote healthy joints to let your dog live the life they deserve. Glyde is the only joint supplement which contains proven levels of three key ingredients working to combat the signs of aging and relieve the painful signs of arthritis.

Glyde's proven formula uses these powerful ingredients:

 

As dogs and cats age, they are more likely to get arthritis. Here are some shocking statistics:

4 out of 5 dogs have arthritis by age 8.

4 out of 5 dogs have arthritis by age 5.

It is important to keep the various stages of life in mind for our dogs and cats. What they needed when they were puppies and kittens, is different than what they need in their senior years. Unfortunately, our dogs or cats cannot talk to us and tell us, “these stairs are getting tougher to climb,” or “my joints are stiff and sore.”  We must address these issues for them. You are more prepared just reading this post to have your home ready for your senior pet. Enjoy these golden years. There is so much to love! 

Learn about Arthritis in Dogs