How to Handle Unsolicited Advice About Your Pet’s End-of-Life Care
Few situations invite as many unwanted opinions as caring for a pet approaching the end of life.
You Are the Center of Your Pet’s World: Understanding the Bond You Share
There is something remarkable about realizing how much of your pet’s life revolves around you. We move through our days surrounded by work, responsibilities, conversations, and countless distractions.
Vitamin B12 Injections for Cats With Kidney Disease and Anemia: Understanding the Benefits and Limitations
Chronic kidney disease can affect a cat in ways that extend well beyond the kidneys themselves. As kidney function declines, some cats develop anemia, a condition in which the blood cannot carry enough oxygen to meet the body’s needs.
Compounded Thyroid Medications for Cats: Oral Liquids vs. Transdermal Ear Gels
Managing hyperthyroidism in a cat can become complicated when the medication used to control the condition causes unwanted reactions or proves difficult to administer.
Medicating a Formerly Feral Senior Cat: The Challenges of Treatment and Building Trust
Giving medication to a cat can be difficult under ordinary circumstances. When that cat has spent much of his life living outdoors, avoiding human contact, and depending on his instincts for survival, administering a simple pill may become a considerable challenge.
When Kidney Disease Weakens Muscles: The Role of Low Potassium in Cats and Dogs
A cat that once jumped onto a favorite chair may start waiting beside it. A dog with chronic kidney disease may struggle to rise after resting, even though yesterday’s walk seemed manageable.
The Role of Hydration in Joint Fluid Health for Senior Pets
An older dog may hesitate before standing after a long nap. A senior cat might spend more time considering a jump that once required no thought at all.
Recognizing the Subtle Difference Between Weakness and Joint Pain in Senior Pets
An older dog pauses before climbing the stairs. A senior cat that once jumped effortlessly onto the bed now hesitates, studies the distance, and eventually walks away.
Modifying Your Daily Walking Route for an Arthritic Dog
There comes a time when the familiar walk around the neighborhood begins to look a little different.
The Truth About Senior Pet Surrender Rates (And How to Help)
An older dog arrives at an animal shelter with a graying muzzle, worn teeth, and a lifetime of habits that someone once knew by heart.
The Ethics of Bringing an Older, Sick Feral Cat Indoors for Hospice
For years, an older feral cat may have lived in the same neighborhood, appearing at familiar feeding stations, sleeping beneath porches, and keeping a cautious distance from the people who provide food.
Why Moving Furniture Can Deeply Unsettle a Senior Cat or Dog
The living room looks wonderful after a little rearranging. The sofa has a better view of the television, the chairs make the room feel more open, and that old coffee table finally has a new home.