Caring for Your Senior Pet

When our best friends come to us, often in the puppy or kitten stage, we shower them with extra attention and care—from initial vaccinations and special nutrition to lots of playtime and smaller toys. Caring for them during their senior years seems a long way off. However, pets can reach the senior and geriatric stages in as few as five or six years, depending on the breed. And each year that goes by considerably increases their age in human years.

Keeping your pet healthy throughout its lifetime helps improve longevity, quality of life and happiness. Understanding the different life stages and the type of care recommended for each is important. Here are four tips to remember when caring for your senior pet:


Veterinary Visits
Your veterinarian is your partner and the best person to discuss care from year to year. During the senior stage, care will include a greater focus on dental care, regular bloodwork, specific checks for potential problems and diseases, and maintaining required and recommended vaccinations.
During the senior and geriatric stages, at least two wellness visits a year are recommended by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The increase in the number of visits provides the opportunity to address any health problems before they appear or reach an advanced stage. Older pets can experience the same health concerns as aging humans, including arthritis, cancer, diabetes and  heart disease to name a few.
Nutrition
As your pet ages, nutritional requirements can change. Just like food during the first life stage promotes growth and development, nutrition during the senior years is formulated for easier digestion, fewer calories, and may include special anti-aging nutrients. Proper weight management helps avoid or manage health concerns associated with obesity like arthritis, heart disease and diabetes.
Exercise
Maintaining a level of exercise appropriate to your pet’s age and abilities supports good physical and mental health. If your pet is experiencing pain or limited mobility, talk to your veterinarian about a diagnosis and treatment plan.  For example, an integrative medical approach could address problems caused by arthritis through food therapy for proper nutrition and weight management, acupuncture and laser therapy for improved mobility, and pharmaceuticals to ease immediate pain or inflammation.
Bedding & Special Needs
Aging often requires lifestyle changes to keep older pets safe and comfortable. When mobility and/or sight are an issue, then keeping your pet away from stairs and other hazards might be necessary. For pets with arthritis and stiff muscles, special bedding may be recommended.

At Holiday House Pet Resort, the comfort, activity level and happiness of all our guests—from puppy to senior years—are important. Older lodging guests often have special needs which our resort is prepared to manage.  The Resort TLC package for senior pets offers:
•    Orthopedic bedding – Dense foam bedding
•    Two stretch and mobility breaks daily – Simple and ability-appropriate outdoor strolls with a staff member
•    Unlimited administering of medications as needed – Veterinary staff available on site at AAHA-accredited Doylestown Veterinary Hospital
•    Special attention with a nightly bedtime story and gourmet treats

Call Holiday House Pet Resort & Doylestown Veterinary Hospital at 215-345-6960 for information and to set an appointment for lodging or veterinary care, including nutritional counseling, and acupuncture and cold laser therapy treatments.

Add Colorful Flair to Your Dog’s Grooming Style

Beyond bows and bandanas, adding a colorful flair to your dog's grooming service can express a unique personality and style. The latest trend in creative grooming services offers a range of temporary designs, including stenciling, feathering, chalking and free-hand airbrushing.

 

Creative grooming can range from a simple stencil design to an extreme expression of imagination and artistic style. A basic stencil design, such as a shamrock, can represent a holiday, heritage or mood. If you lean toward the extreme, there has been increasing attention to the head-turning, over-the-top full-body designs using specialized grooming techniques and color to turn animals into works of art.

The simple use of a color accent or the placement of natural feathers on an ear or tail to a stenciled design on the chest or hind leg adds a trendy, temporary flair to any grooming style. Holiday House Pet Resort Grooming is now offering a basic creative grooming service, Furtastic Designs, as a salon add-on. These finishing options are temporary and safe for pets. HolidayHouse Pet Resort is excited about launching Furtastic Designs to offer grooming clients something new and fun.

“We are currently using Espree Bark Art blow pens and stencils for dogs because it’s easy to apply, the design lasts for an appropriate amount of time on the fur and can be removed with water and shampoo. The products are non-toxic color pens designed for use on fur,” explained Stacy Showmaker, a member of the grooming team.

STENCILS

Kids love showing off temporary tattoos and so will your dog. Why limit your dog’s collar as the only statement piece being worn? The stencils include simple designs from paw prints or a flower to a skull & cross bones and super hero insignias. The blow pens produce a fine mist of color for pinpoint application. What design best matches your dog’s personality or expresses a more playful side?

FEATHERS

Retro fashions are always in style but nothing says The Big 80s like colorful feather accents. Natural feathers add a wild, colorful flair to celebrate any special occasion, or make a strong statement when your retriever or spaniel struts down the sidewalks in town.

CHALK

Chalk is great for free-hand designs like adding a pop of color to the ears, a tail or shading a larger area like the chest or an entire leg. Multiple colors can be used to create a custom look. So when the Eagles play in the big game, you and your dog can paint the town green with team spirit!

“We’ve been perfecting our designs on a variety of dog coats. Right now, stenciling and custom color pieces are working best on white and light colored fur. Stacy and I are still discovering which mists or chalks will work best on dark colored fur. Of course, feathers look great on any coat. We won’t be transforming your standard poodle into a tiger or your westie into a panda—that’s not what Furtastic Designs is about—but we can offer clients something special,” added groomer Erin Connelly.

Still want the bow or bandana? That’s no problem, but the creative grooming finishes are temporary so why not give it a try to generate a smile, add color to a wintery mood, or celebrate a special occasion. Furtastic Designs by Holiday House Pet Resort Grooming offers basic creative grooming art for an attractive finishing touch to any grooming style. Have an idea? Let us know when you book your grooming appointment or ask to speak with Erin or Stacy during check-in. 

           

 

Helping Shelter Animals Thrive and Find a New Forever Family

By Melissa Frank – Shelter Manager, Bucks County SPCA, Upper Bucks Shelter

Originally posted to DVH Blog, October 2013

I have spent the majority of my adult life pampering very well cared for canines in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Working in an upscale grooming salon and a luxury pet resort, where loving pet parents sent their "babies" for a monthly spa appointment or on a 10- day resort vacation, was the best training to prepare me for my position as Shelter Manager with the Bucks County SPCA Upper Bucks Shelter.

Before I started working for the Bucks County SPCA, I thought I knew them pretty well. I had adopted pets from them and had the pleasure of knowing Anne Irwin, the Executive Director (who spoils her baby at Holiday House Pet Resort). I was also a foster mom for some wayward pregnant pups. I quickly discovered there was a lot more to the organization than I first thought. 

Some of the first things I learned were:

1.   Each SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is independently funded and operated. ALL of the monies received are from donations. We receive no funding comes from the federal, state or local governments.

2.   SPCAs across the country are only connected in name. Some organizations have multiple locations so it’s best to ask someone within the organization.

3.   People surrender their beloved pets for many reasons—it doesn’t matter if it’s a purebred Pomeranian, a sweet middle-aged Lab or an all-American mutt, from 8 weeks old to 16 years old…we see them all walk through the doors.

Living at a shelter can be a confusing and stressful time for an animal that once shared a home and a bond with one family. Placing pets in a foster home is not always an option, so I wanted to create a more pleasant environment for the animals and positive adoption experience. One of the first things I implemented at the shelter was soothing music played for every animal. From sun up to sun down, music can be heard throughout the shelter, and most of the songs on my I-pod were designed to comfort animals. Some of the songs are clinically proven to soothe the savage beast (Through a Dogs Ear).  I ordered Homeopathic drops used for generalized anxiety, fear of noises and storm stress. I also implemented off-leash playgroups. It’s important to introduce the dog into a social group as quickly as possible, so twice a day we send the dogs outside into our gorgeous, fenced-in grass play yard to RUN!!

Blubell is a 4-year-old Coonhound available for adoption at the Upper Bucks Shelter. She is great with other dogs and would love a Forever Family with a brother or sister.

A tired dog is a happy dog and happy dogs get adopted faster and transition more quickly into their new home. We also use alternative therapies such as Reiki and animal communicators to help each animal’s transition in and out of the shelter as smooth as possible.

As we celebrate National Adopt-a-Shelter Pet in October, I’d like to offer some helpful tips if you are new to adopting a shelter pet:  

First, fill out an application and have it put on file; most times, the first time you visit the shelter you may not find the type of pet you’re looking for.
•    Talk with a shelter staff member about what traits appeal to you in a new pet. Be patient. Sometimes we have a dog or cat that best fits your lifestyle and family, and sometimes, if you’re looking for something specific, it takes a few weeks or months. Be realistic about what you're willing to work on with your new pet and what boundaries you’ve set.
•    Some dogs and cats are "special-needs adoptions" which may require multiple visits to the shelter, hand feeding the pet from outside of their suite, behavior consultations or follow-up training sessions. However, adopting one of these pets can be especially rewarding.
•    Consider visiting the shelter at different times of the day. The animals, especially the cats, may be more active during the morning or evening hours. When the cats are napping, you’re not really seeing their personalities shine through. 

Lastly, ask how you can help support the organization. We would not be able to care for the animals and prepare them for a new forever family without the help of volunteers and donors! Even if you are not able to adopt a pet, everyone can make a difference to an animal in need.  From sewing dog beds and cat pillows, being a kitten foster parent, representing us at outreach events to walking a dog, spending quality one on one time with a shelter cat, or sharing an adoptable pet on Facebook, love and caring come in many forms.

The Bucks County SPCA has two shelter locations: 1665 Street Rd, Lahaska PA and 60 Reservoir Rd, Quakertown PA. The public is able to visit adoptable animals during our business hours. Please visit the Bucks County SPCA website for more details.