Greenbriar Animal Hospital

Exercise do’s and don’ts for senior dogs:

• Set an easy walking pace (your dog should be at a steady walk or occasional slow trot). Daily walks if possible or at least 3-4 times/week. Go for gentle up and down slopes and varying ground textures (grass, dirt, pavement). Limit walks to ½ to 1 hour/day total. No running or jogging!
• Do not throw anything for your senior dog to chase and/or retrieve. The way your dog moves when he does this is a terrible strain on all of his older joints! It is hard on muscles, ligaments, and tendons too.
• Do your best to limit chasing squirrels, rabbits, etc. as this is also a big strain on joints and muscles.
• Do not let your senior dog roughhouse with younger, larger dogs. This kind of play can be damaging.

Exercise do’s and don’ts for senior cats (they do not need a lot of exercise):

• Add easy to get to carpeted perches or cat beds at various levels around your home. They should be large enough so your cat can sprawl and low enough so it is a small jump or large step up to the perch. A stair-step set of perches, each 1 to 1.5 feet above the previous one, is perfect.
• Many cats are entertained by a window perch, especially if you add a birdfeeder/squirrel feeder outside the window. This can help your senior cat move around more! Put the window perch at the opposite end of the home from the cat’s food and water bowls.
• If your cat is overweight or has kidney problems, digestive system issues (frequent hairballs, vomiting, loose stools, etc.), recurring urinary infections or bladder stones, use a large diameter, shallow pan for water and place it in a separate spot, away from food dishes and litter boxes. Cats will travel back and forth, getting more exercise, and studies show cats drink more if this is done! Or try a “water fountain”.

Environmental modifications for senior pets:

• Add a heated bed in a convenient spot. Check out www.cozywinters.com for a terrific selection. This can make a huge difference for your pet, especially in cooler weather (older pets often consider air conditioning to be ‘cooler weather’, so heated beds are appreciated and helpful year-round). Older pets get chilled easily, and a heated bed can really make old bones feel better. Get one size larger than you would for a youngster, so your pet can sprawl if they choose. Work on getting him accustomed to it.
• Raise your pet’s food and water dishes to just under chin level. Make sure there is good traction around the bowls – put an area rug or large placemat by the dishes so your pet’s feet don’t slip at all.
• For dogs - avoid or limit stairs (use a ramp, or block stairs with a gate). Look into a ramp or stairs for your car, or see if there is a spot you can park where the ground is closer to the car (maybe there’s such a spot around the corner, or by your neighbor’s mailbox). Car ramps or stairs should be wide and sturdy, and your dog will need some training to learn to use them. Ask us for tips- older dogs CAN learn!
• For cats – make sure litter boxes are extra large, uncovered, with at least one low spot (less than 3 inches tall) so cats can get in easily. Try a modified (one 12” section cut down) plastic sweater storage box. An aluminum disposable turkey roasting pan works well. Place at least one litter box on the main level of your home or the level your cat spends most time in – senior cats cannot be expected to traverse stairs for the litter box. This is like asking your elderly grandfather to go to the basement every time he needs to use the bathroom! Not safe or advisable for seniors to be doing multiple times daily, either.
• Add carpet runners in a continuous path (to slippery floors). Ones with non-slip backings are best.