Has Your Pet Lost That Lovin' Feeling?
According to a new study, the older a pet is - the less attention it gets.
Written by: Christina Mehra, Staff Writer @ Vetcentric.com

Everyone loves puppies and kittens, but are we as affectionate with our dogs and cats once the animals reach senior citizen status?

In a word, no.

A recent study conducted for the Purina Pet Institute's Healthy Pet 21 Consortium found that 94 percent of pet owners play with cats and dogs younger than one year old every day. But by the time the pets are more than 13 years old, only 83 percent of owners engage in daily playtime. Exercise follows the same pattern: 56 percent of pet owners with animals in the first year of life provide daily exercise, while only 33 percent of owners of animals aged 13 and up ensure physical activity every day.

In the study, "playtime" was defined as a fun activity for the pet, not including petting or walks, such as playing Frisbee or hide-and-go-seek, said Kerry Lyman, director of marketing and communications for Purina.

The results do not surprise Lynne Kesel, DVM, who teaches an animal behavior course at Colorado State University 's College of Veterinary Medicine , who said that many people will neglect dogs once the "novelty" has worn off.

And this is unfortunate: playing with a new puppy and teaching it to go for walks is a lot of fun, but once the dog is an adult, he still needs attention, exercise, and most of all some TLC, Dr. Kesel said.

While it's true that older pets are more independent and can handle being left alone better than newborns, they still need just as much love. Older cats, while more sedentary than kittens, need just as much quality time with their owners, if not more, said Kitty Zimmer, program manager of the Zimmer Foundation, which adopts out older cats.

And although an older dog is not in as much need of constant attention as a puppy, too much time alone can lead to problems such as separation anxiety and constant barking, Dr. Kesel said. This is more likely to be a problem in situations in which the family stops paying attention to its trusted canine companion, and the dog fades to become part of the scenery. "They just throw food out to the dog once a day and top up his water," she said. Due to this lack of affection, the dog gets bored and may develop problems like excessive barking and destructiveness.

To prevent your dog from feeling abandoned, Dr. Kesel recommends kenneling dogs when you are not home. If properly trained, the dog will think of the kennel as its own "safe place," and will no longer feel the need to bark excessively. In fact, many dogs will take off running towards their kennel as soon as owners mention the word "kennel," she explained. The other advantage of kenneling, of course, is that your dog won't be able to destroy the furniture.

When the family is home, Dr. Kesel said, the dog should be let out of its kennel and allowed to spend some time with its owners -- this is how to make it feel like part of the family. Since dogs are pack animals, they like to stay with the rest of the pack (i.e. you and your family).

Simply spending time with an older pet is the key, Dr Kesel said, but regular exercise doesn't hurt. Just as exercise makes relieves stress and anxiety in people, it does the same for dogs, she added. Going for walks together is another good way to spend some quality time with your pet.

Cats also need some coaxing to stay fit. Older cats can benefit from a good run around the house. "It's good for owners to encourage it," Ms. Zimmer said. If not, she added, older cats that have become more sedentary are in danger of putting on weight. She suggests that owners combine exercise and play by leading the cat with toys such as a fishing pole.

For dogs, exactly how much exercise is needed depends on the breed. In general, small dogs with very short legs can not walk as far or often as larger breeds. For some dogs and cats that don't require a lot of exercise, playtime could just be quality time spent near their owner. A small dog may be content to sit on a silk pillow and look pretty, Dr. Kesel said, but the important part is whom the dog sits with: "They want to sit on the pillow next to you."

Exercise is particularly important, Ms. Lyman said, because the study also found high rates of obesity in pets. And since older pets tend to sleep more or develop arthritis and other conditions which slow down their normal activity level it is up to their owners to take the initiative. "It's incumbent upon the owner," she said.

Yet another benefit of spending time with an older pet is observing when the pet is in pain or just isn't acting like himself.

"The owner who spends time with the dog is the veterinarian's best friend," Dr. Kesel said. "You know when he or she is upset."

She gave two examples she encountered in her own practice: first, there was the husband who brought in his wife's dog and knew nothing about the dog. He could not tell the vet what the dog ate or answer any other questions to assist in diagnosis.

Then there was the man who spent lots of time with his aging dog. He brought his dog in because it seemed depressed, and suspected that it might be a problem with the teeth. Dr. Kesel examined it and said she did not notice anything wrong with his dog. But the owner insisted the dog was just not acting normal. So she offered to do a CAT scan, and sure enough, the dog had a brain tumor.

Dr. Kesel said the dog did not seem depressed -- to her it looked like any other Labrador . However, she said, "This man picked up that this dog ælooked sad.'"

So consider yourself warned: if left alone too often, pets can develop severe behavior problems and perhaps miss out on necessary medical treatment, not to mention all the love they deserve.

"So yes, older animals need attention," Dr. Kesel said, and Ms. Lyman echoed her: "All pets do, regardless of their age."