The journey of pet ownership is filled with love, wonderful moments and tender farewells. Moving from caring for an older pet with chronic illness to welcoming a new puppy or kitten isn’t about replacing a beloved companion. It’s about healing and embracing a new chapter.

When You Have an Older Pet

As our furry companions age, they often develop chronic or acute diseases. While this is a difficult process to witness in the animals you love dearly, you know them best. How can you recognize that your pet may be ill? Think about the three to five signature traits that make your dog or cat unique, (how they greet you, follow you from room to room, eating, sleeping or play habits, for example). While these key behaviors are different for every pet, when you notice that they’re diminished or gone, that’s a very big red flag that something may be wrong.

Your’re Not Alone

At Wags Animal Hospital, we’re here to support you every step of the way. In our clinic, we can do the blood work needed to assess internal organ function, perform digital x-rays and schedule an ultrasound to see if there is any overt cancer in the abdomen or chest, or signs of other disease that we can catch. We educate you on whatever they may need, from lifestyle adjustments to treatment options.

• If your dog has chronic arthritis or weak muscles, we will give you tips on how to prevent them from slipping on your floors. 
• When your pet’s diet should be adjusted, we will go over the Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods, from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association with you to make sure that they get proper nutrition.
• Our experienced doctors can provide medical or surgical treatments, if needed.

When it’s Time to Say Good-bye

While we all know that we are likely to outlive our dogs and cats, it is very difficult emotionally for families to approach the end of a beloved pet’s life. Remember, we’re here to personally guide you through their final months. We can develop a care plan together to preserve quality of life and relieve suffering, making the decisions that are in your pet’s best interests and yours.

We would like to share an excellent resource here to help you understand how to make treatment and end-of-life decisions objectively, How Will I Know?, from The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine.  

Opening Your Heart Again

Grieving the loss of a treasured pet is never easy. You may experience sadness for quite a while or have feelings of guilt at the thought of getting a new pet. You have a reservoir of love to give to another dog or cat. When you’re ready, adding a puppy or kitten to your family can fill your home with joy and laughter again. We are here to share your joy, safeguard their health and educate you so you know what to expect. From essential vaccines and parasite prevention, to spaying or neutering, we’ll guide you through each stage of their development for those first few months.

The cues that you give to your pet will dictate how they will behave, so we provide training tips for puppies, including how to act when you come home and when you leave, crate training and house training. We educate pawrents on how to create a healthy and stimulating environment for kittens, with the proper number of litter boxes, toys and enrichment. 

We also recommend these helpful resources to the pet parents in our practice.

• Housetraining and Crate Training for Dogs
• Resources for Environmental Enrichment for Cats, from the ASPCA

Support for You and Your Pets

At Wags Animal Hospital, we’re here for you and your animals through every stage of their lives. We help you care for older dogs and cats in ways that truly meet their needs. For puppies and kittens, we’ll make sure that you have the knowledge you need to give them a strong start in life. Contact us to give your fur babies the happy, healthy lives they deserve.