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Cats Fears & Anxieties Senior Pets Veterinary Care

Being a Fear Free Advocate for Your Pet

Article

Reading Time: 5 minutes I’ve always been the vet for my pets, handling their medical needs and surgeries as they aged and ensuring that their care was as Fear Free as possible. When I became a relief vet in 2020, filling in at different clinics around my area, I no longer brought my pets to work. I took on […]

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Dogs Fears & Anxieties Senior Pets

How to Help Senior Dogs With Mobility Issues

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s an immense privilege to have loved my Lab mix, Rio, for over 12 years. My husband and I adopted him from an animal shelter when he was just a few months old, and we’ve enjoyed each life stage – curious puppy, athletic adult, and now, sweet senior. But it’s concerning to watch the dog […]

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Cats Senior Pets Veterinary Care

How to Relieve the Pain and Stress of Osteoarthritis in Cats

Article

Reading Time: 7 minutes Osteoarthritis is a painful condition that isn’t exclusive to senior cats; younger cats can be affected, too.

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Dogs Senior Pets

Senior Dogs: What to Watch for as Your Dog Ages

Article

Reading Time: < 1 minutes We all want our dogs to live long and happy lives. One way to accomplish that is to be aware of normal changes that come with aging and take steps to improve quality of life. Our handout explains what to look for and ways to help your golden oldie stay comfortable and happy.

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Cats Life at Home New Pets Senior Pets

Adopting a Senior Cat? Help Them Feel at Home

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes When senior cats end up in shelters, it’s often because their elderly owners have passed away and there’s no one to care for them. The good news is that they are ideal housemates for everyone: millennial singles, empty nesters, and of course, human seniors. November is Adopt a Senior Pet month. Give a senior cat […]

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Life at Home Senior Pets

The Guilt in Goodbye

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes The last year of my cat’s life was a nightmare rollercoaster. Sebastian was battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. He lost his appetite, and I became obsessed with feeding him. I tried every brand of food, cooked for him, and checked his food bowl a dozen times daily to monitor how much he was eating. Finally, […]

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Dogs Senior Pets Veterinary Care

Pain and Pet Behavior: Learn How They’re Linked

Article

Reading Time: 5 minutes In some ways, the fact that pain will affect how a living creature behaves is obvious. If I have a bad headache, I’ll stop writing this article and go lie down. If my dog steps on something sharp, she’ll stop walking and hold up her paw. But even for an experienced pet owner, it can […]

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Senior Pets Veterinary Care

Fear Free Euthanasia: How to Say Goodbye Peacefully

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes You’ll remember your pet’s euthanasia for the rest of your life, and if your pet is agitated or anxious, you’ll remember that, too. Taking these few simple steps to plan ahead will make help make the experience easier for your pet and your family. When you make the difficult decision to euthanize your pet, there […]

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Dogs Senior Pets Veterinary Care

Heart Disease in Dogs: What You Need to Know

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes When my husband and I adopted a senior Poodle named Peach, we knew she had a heart murmur. But when she began coughing almost to the point of retching, our veterinarian referred us to a veterinary cardiologist for more testing. Sure enough, Peach has a leaky mitral valve. The resulting heart enlargement puts pressure on […]

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Cats Dogs Life at Home Senior Pets

Why the Loss of a Pet Is So Challenging & Tips for Coping With Grief

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes The death of a beloved pet is excruciating. With their shorter lifespans, it’s also, unfortunately, an inevitability. Therapist Susan Anschuetz, LMFT, co-founder of the Denver-based nonprofit Human Animal Bond Trust, has led free weekly pet loss support groups for more than 30 years. “There’s hardly a week that goes by where someone doesn’t say, ‘I […]