Managing Diabetes in Older Cats and Dogs: Building a Routine That Works at Home
Diabetes can turn an ordinary household schedule into a medical routine almost overnight.
Diabetes can turn an ordinary household schedule into a medical routine almost overnight.
Seeing an outdoor cat who is clearly sick or injured creates an uncomfortable problem.
Urination is one of those everyday details that can become surprisingly informative once a pet develops a health problem.
Put catnip in front of one cat and you may get rolling, cheek rubbing, bunny kicks, zooming, licking, and a few minutes of complete feline silliness.
Walk through an animal shelter and the youngest animals often draw attention first. Puppies bounce against kennel doors, kittens tumble over one another, and people naturally stop to watch.
A senior pet who suddenly looks a little unkempt can seem like a simple grooming problem.
Hydration can become one of the quiet daily challenges of caring for a cat with chronic kidney disease, or for a cat whose veterinarian has identified kidney-related concerns.
A diagnosis of chronic kidney disease can make a pet owner feel as if a pile of unfamiliar numbers has suddenly taken over the conversation.
A senior blood panel can look surprisingly intimidating when it lands on a veterinary bill.
Pain in pets is not always loud. A dog with significant joint discomfort may still wag at the door, and a cat with a painful problem may simply spend more time under the bed, stop jumping to a favorite perch, or hold the eyes partly closed.
An older dog walks toward the wrong side of the door and waits to be let outside. A senior cat begins wandering the hallway at two in the morning, calling loudly even though nothing obvious has changed.
A senior dog that once slept peacefully through the night may begin getting up at 2 a.m., wandering down the hallway, standing in a corner, or pacing from room to room.