As a dog or cat enters their senior years, important changes –physiological, mental, and physical— take place. Some changes take place gradually, while there are those that seem to occur overnight. Many senior dogs become senile as a result of age-related mental degradation. They become less responsive to many forms of environmental stimuli due to gradual loss of their sense of hearing and vision. This is one reason why many senior dogs are unable to get home when they stray even just a few blocks from home because they easily become disoriented.

Your once active pet will begin slowing down, and you may notice that he spends most of the day sleeping. Age-related physical changes are also accompanied by reduced energy levels, and your pet seems to lose interest in activities that he once loved.

Senior pets also become more susceptible to cold weather, drafts, or hot weather. Sudden changes in temperature increases their risk to illness.

Your senior pet will benefit with more visits to your Marion, IA vet clinic for careful monitoring of pre-existing health issues and to nip new problems in the bud.